The federal government says it will not pay ransom to abductors of students and members of staff of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger state.
Recall that gunmen believed to the monstrous brigands Terrorising the north east stormed the school and kidnapped several students, members of staff, and some members of their families.
Consequently, the government said it was in top of the situation and efforts were being made to ensure swift and safe release of the abducted persons.
On Friday, People’s Gazette, an online media outfit, reported that a deal has been brokered between the federal government and the kidnappers, and that the government has paid a staggering ₦800 million as ransom to secure the release of the students.
The outfit added that the government will disclose details of the ransom payment in coming days.
Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Saturday, said the government was still contemplating what approach will be suitable to secure release of the student.
He, however, maintained that payment of ransom was not among the cards on the government’s table.
“We employ kinetic and non-kinetic (measures), you don’t throwaway invitation to engage but the overall strategy you keep to your chest,” he said.
The minister noted that the federal government will not allow any form of criminal activities in any part of the county.
“Bandits all over the world work with psychology of people. Deliberately, they target women and children because this is what will attract a lot of global outcry. That is exactly what bandits do all over the world,” he said.
“The government has put in place, all along, various strategies to contain banditry, to fight insurgency, to fight kidnapping. Some of these measures are kinetic, some are not kinetic. We didn’t get here overnight and that is why it is difficult to get out one day.”
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