Bandits who abducted pupils of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina town in Rafi Local Government of Niger State have demanded N110 million as ransom for the release of the students.
This was disclosed by the Headmaster of the school, Alhaji Abubakar Alhassan after he was contacted by the bandits at about 4 pm on Monday.
However, in a report by Thisday, Alhassan said the bandits claimed to have 156 pupils with them, and if their demands were not met by the end of the day, they will kill all the children.
He further added that the State government is aware of the circumstances, and refused to pay the ransom for the release of the children.
It was also reported that some members of the public within the community have started raising money for their release.
Meanwhile, the state government has said that it has set the necessary machinery in motion to ensure the safe release of the school children but completely ruled out the payment of ransom to the kidnappers.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, Mary Noel Berje, quoted the state Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, as also saying: “Government is on the pursuit of the bandits and efforts are being put in place to identify them.
“The number of the kidnapped school children is not fully ascertained. However, efforts by security agencies to secure their release have been intensified.
“We don’t pay ransom to abductors. We are trying to negotiate to see how we can bring them back safely,” he said.
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