Kaduna State government has said it will not negotiate with bandits to free about 287 primary school pupils and their teachers abducted in the Kuriga community, Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
Bandits abducted the pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State, on Thursday, triggering national outrage.
Reports had emerged at the weekend, stating that the government had reached out to the bandits through a private negotiator for the release of the pupils and their teachers.
In a related development, bandits reportedly struck in Gidan Bakuso in Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State, abducting about 15 Tsangaya students, with several others missing.
The students were reportedly abducted from their school yesterday.
Proprietor of the school, Liman Abubakar, told journalists that 15 students were unaccounted for after the early morning attack.
According to him, “as they were leaving the town, they sighted our students rushing into their rooms and they kidnapped many of them.
“We have so far counted 15 who are missing and we are still searching for more.”
The member representing Gada-East Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Dauda, confirmed the attack.
Sokoto State Police Command, however, denied knowledge of the attack.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 28 of the kidnapped Kaduna State pupils have escaped from their abductors, according to a report by the BBC.
One pupil, believed to be 14 years old, who was shot by the gunmen and was being treated in hospital, has since died.
Sunday Vanguard learnt that troops are working with the police and local search teams to comb the forests within Kaduna and neighbouring states.
Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, who spoke on the issue, said, “The state government and security agencies are working to ensure the safe return of the school children.
“I have received strong assurances from the President and National Security Adviser that no stone will be left unturned to bring back the children.”
Negotiator
This came as the Federal Government said it had sent troops to rescue the abducted students.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Muhammad Lawal Shehu, said the state government neither hired a negotiator nor contemplated making such a move.
Describing reports on the matter as mischievous, Shehu said it was capable of jeopardizing efforts made by the state and security operatives to ensure the safe return of the kidnapped children.
He urged media organisations to always validate information from government before publication.
His words: “The attention of Kaduna State government has been drawn to an outrightly mischievous and false report of March 9, 2024, stating that Kaduna State government has hired a private negotiator to facilitate the safe return of school children abducted in Kuriga community, Chikun Local Government of Kaduna State.
“We wish to state categorically that Kaduna State government did not hire any private negotiator, nor are we contemplating making such a move.
“The hiring of a private negotiator only exists in the imagination of the reporter. Kaduna State government has a clear policy of non-negotiation with terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.
“We urge members of the press to be cautious in the way they craft and publicise their stories not to jeopardize the efforts of government and security agencies in degrading criminal elements laying siege to our communities. Our doors are always open.”
FG talks tough, vows to rescue victims
Similarly, the Federal Government has condemned the incident, describing it as unacceptable and against the fundamental values of humanity.
A statement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said no effort would be spared in pursuit of justice for victims.
He urged the public to remain calm and provide any relevant information that may assist security agencies in rescuing the victims.
Reacting to the development, a human rights activist and leader of Concerned Nigerians Group, Comrade Adeyanju Deji, urged President Bola Tinubu to order the Service Chiefs to set up camps in Kaduna and Borno states.
He said this in a statement made available to Vanguard.
“The abduction of about 800 children and women is a heinous crime that is completely unacceptable.
“It is a tragic reminder of the worsening security situation in Nigeria, particularly in the northern part of the country,” Adeyanju added.
‘Attack on education’
Similarly, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, condemned the Kaduna incident, describing it as an attack on education in the North.
National Publicity Secretary of the group, Prof Tukur Muhammad-Baba, called on government to go beyond perfunctory directives to the security forces to rescue the abducted students.
His words: “ACF is gravely saddened and exasperated at the news of the mass abduction by terrorists/bandits of about 312 students (20 of whom reportedly orphans), from the Local Education Authority (LEA) Primary School and Junior Secondary School, along with a principal at Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
“As a sad reminder of their unabated presence, the terrorists struck again, attacked worshippers, and killed two persons during Friday prayers at Anguwar Makera, Kwasakwasa Community in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
“The incidents looked planned, a most discomfiting reality, given the enormous public resources being allocated to the security sector.”
Abductions
The abductions in Kaduna and Sokoto are the latest in the litany of kidnappings since the 2014 Chibok incident.
The last major abduction involving school children in Kaduna was in July 2021 when gunmen took more than 150 students.
Last September, gunmen abducted more than 30 people, including 24 female students, in Zamfara State.
In February 2021, terrorists raided a boarding school in Jangebe, Zamfara, kidnapping 300 students. Months earlier, gunmen had snatched more than 290 students from a school in Kankara, Katsina State.
According to SBM Intelligence, 3,620 people were abducted in 582 kidnap-related incidents in Nigeria.
Gunmen in military uniform kill 4 in Imo
The Imo State Police Command, yesterday, said unidentified gunmen had killed four persons and injured one in Abacheke, Ohaji/Egbema council area.
The state’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Henry Okoye, made this known to newsmen in Owerri while reacting to the attack which occurred last Friday.
As of press time, the command was yet to give reason for the attack, but community sources linked it to a community rift that has lasted years.
However, the police said the attackers wore “military camouflage” and shot sporadically during the attack.
According to the police, “the Commissioner of Police Imo State Command, CP Aboki Danjuma, has condemned in totality the gruesome murder of four young men at Abacheke Community in Ohaji/Egbema by gunmen who were dressed in military camouflage and has deployed the command’s Special Tactical Squad to go all out in synergy with other security agencies and clamp down on the hoodlums responsible for the senseless act of violence.
“While normalcy has been restored in the area, a comprehensive investigation is ongoing to fish out the hoodlums responsible for the dastardly act and make them face the full wrath of the law.”
Source | Vanguard
