Determination to get its 136 students out of kidnappers’ den has forced the management of Tanko Salihu Islamic School, Tegina, Niger State, to sell its landed property.
The learners have been with the abductors since about 80 days ago.
Government appears to be sticking to its policy on non-payment of ransom, but the school and parents of the students are taking all steps to free the young ones.
It has thus reportedly sold land worth N50m, being the demanded ransom.
According to a report in ‘The Punch’, the kidnappers are, however, demanding another N20m.
The paper quoted a source as saying: “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 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.
He said, “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 our correspondent 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.”
