The abductors of the students of Tanko Salihu Islamic School, Tegina, in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger state, have made a fresh demand as school authority sold part of its land to raise N50M.
Bandits had on June 1, 2021, invaded the school, abducting 136 students.
A source from Tegina, who spoke on condition of anonymity to PUNCH, said part of the school land was sold to raise the initial money paid to the bandits to release the children.
The bandits who had earlier demanded a ransom of N100M, added a fresh N20M ransom with six motorcycles costing about N3M after the school had raised and N50M in two batches.
“After paying N50m ransom in two batches, the kidnappers insisted on collecting additional N20m and six motorcycles which will cost another N3m. A part of the school land was sold to raise the N50m paid” the source said.
He lamented that informants contributed to the continued stay of the children with the kidnappers, saying they were keeping the bandits abreast of developments among the parents.
“The first time the honourable representing our area came on a sympathy visit to the parents, he gave us N1m. Immediately he left, the abductors called to tell us how much he dropped.
“Also, when the Director General of the state Emergency Management Agency came, the abductors did the same thing, but we cannot identify anyone who could be doing that.”
Meanwhile, the parents, who resume at the school every day, lamented that the state government had not been discussing with them on efforts aimed at rescuing the children.
One of them, who declined to be named, said, “We are tired; the government is doing nothing.”
The principal of the school, Alhassan Garba Abubakar, who spoke to PUNCH on the telephone, said, “The government should adopt the same method used rescuing the Commissioner for information to free the children.”
He said, “They said they didn’t pay any ransom to rescue the commissioner and the Zone C APC chairman; so we want them to use the same method to secure our children’s freedom.”
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane, said government had wanted to take military action, but the parents were reluctant.
Also, the new Niger state Commissioner of Police, Monday Bala Kuryas, said intelligence was ongoing to discover the location of the students.
The CP said this while speaking to journalists in the Mariga Local Government Area during a visit to tactical teams and special formations across the state.
He said, “The children will be released very soon. We are doing our best to locate where they are.”
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