Abductors of Niger Islamic Students Demand N110million Ransom
- Students and staff of an Islamic school kidnapped in Niger state stand the risk of being killed by their abductors
- The bandits who forcefully took the children and their teachers away have demanded the sum of N110million
- Authorities in the state have since declared that they won't pay a dime to the criminals despite the threats
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Niger state - Abductors of the over 136 students and staff of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, in the Rafi local government area of Niger state are demanding the sum of N110 million as a ransom for the safe release of the victims.
Channels Television reports that the bandits also threatened to kill the victims should the school or their parents fail to meet their demands this week.
The headteacher of the school, Abubakar Alhassan disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday, June 1, adding that the bandits’ call came in about 4:00 pm on Monday, May 31.
Source: Twitter
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Alhassan said contrary to their expectation, the bandits claimed they have a total of 156 people with them made up of pupils and staff.
He said the management of the school has contacted the state government on the latest development but that the government is insisting on not paying ransom to the bandits.
According to reports, parents and relations of the abductees have begun to raise money to take to the bandits.
Nigerian Tribune newspaper reports that the Niger state deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso announced that some of the bandits are in the government's custody.
The deputy governor was said to have made the pronouncement shortly after presiding over a security meeting at Government House, Minna, the state capital.
He was, however, silent on the identity of the criminals or how they were arrested and by who.
Niger has recently become the epicentre of banditry and kidnappings in the last few weeks as the state comes under siege from armed bandits.
Recall that three soldiers on Monday, May 18 lost their lives in an encounter with bandits in Mariga town of Mariga local government area of Niger state.
Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, who disclosed this after a state security meeting held at the Government House on Tuesday, May 18 said many people escaped with varying degrees of injuries as a result of the encounter.
Meanwhile, 127 civil society groups on Friday, May 28 staged protests across Nigeria calling attention to the violence, lawlessness, and bloodletting that have taken over all parts of the country.
The groups urged the presidency to provide political and moral leadership for the security crisis and ensure governmental actions are humane in tandem with section 17 (2)(C) of the Nigerian Constitution.
At the protests in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja covered by Legit.ng, organisers of the processions, Joint Action Civil Society Coalition, called on the government to act fast.
Source: Legit.ng
