Elijah Adebero
The Niger State Government has said it has arrested some of the bandits who abducted students of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyyan School, Tegina in Rafi Local Government of the state.
The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, while speaking with journalist in Minna, said some of the bandits were in custody.
He spoke shortly after presiding over two hours security meeting at the government house in Minna.
Ketso, who didn’t state the number of bandits arrested, also said the security agents were already on trail of the rest of the bandits with a view to rescuing the children.
The deputy governor, however, ruled out payment of any ransom but assured that the abducted children would be rescued the same way the Kagara Science College boys were.
“We don’t pay ransom to abductors. We are trying to negotiate to see how we can bring them back safely.
“But, first of all, we are trying to get in touch with the parents of those abducted because some of them came from other states to acquire Islamic education. The government does not know their parents or where they came from.
“We are still taking the census of the children to know the exact numbers that were actually abducted. Nevertheless, the government will do everything possible to ensure their safe rescue.”
Ketso also conceded that the abductors of the schoolchildren took the government by surprise, highlighting that due to the incessant attacks on schools in parts of the state, the government through a proactive measure, has temporarily converted all boarding schools in the state to day schools.
