Bandits who abducted pupils of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, in Tegina town, in Rafi local government area of Niger State are demanding N110 million as ransom for the release of his pupils.
According to the school’s Headmaster, Abubakar Alhassan, the bandits made contact with the management of the institution on Monday asking him to pay N110 million as ransom for the release of his pupils.
Alhassan said the bandits claimed to have 156 pupils with them. According to him, the kidnappers threatened that if they did not pay the ransom by the end of today, they will kill all the children.
Alhassan further said the message has been passed to the state government, which said it will not pay ransom for the release of the children.
It was learnt from another source that some public-spirited people within the community have started raising the money which they hope to take to the bandits.
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 issued by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, Mary Noel Berje, quoted the State’s Deputy Governor, Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, as also saying, Government is on the pursuit of the bandits and efforts are being put in place to identify them”.
