March 14, (THEWILL) – The bandits who abducted over 100 pupils and teachers of LEA Primary School, Kuriga in Kaduna State, have threatened to kill the hostages if N1 billion is not paid as ransom in 20 days, a spokesman for the families of the victims said.
This is coming after bandits, who abducted 16 residents in the Gonin Gora area of Kaduna State, demanded N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles in exchange for their hostages.
THEWILL reports that over 100 Pupils and Teachers, including the Head Teacher of a Government joint Primary and secondary school in Kuriga Community, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were abducted last Thursday, by gunmen suspected to be bandits.
A community leader, who acts as a spokesman for the families of the hostages, Jubril Aminu, said he had received a call on his phone from the bandits on Tuesday.
“They made a total of a 1 billion (naira) ransom demand for all the students and staff of the school. They gave an ultimatum to pay the ransom within 20 days, effective from the date of the kidnap. They said they will kill all the students and the staff if the ransom demand is not met.”
Idris Ibrahim, a Councillor for Kuriga Ward, confirmed the ransom demand and the amount.
“Yes, the kidnappers called the community through Jubril Aminu’s number and made the demand. They called from a hidden number but the authorities are working on getting the number”, Ibrahim told Reuters.
He added that the security forces were taking “adequate measures” to secure the release of the students.
While the Kaduna State Government has not issued any statement on the latest development, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday ruled out payment of ransom to secure the release of the pupils and all other victims of kidnapping.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told reporters on Wednesday that Tinubu’s position on the kidnappings in Kuriga was that security forces should secure the hostages’ release without any payment to the kidnappers.
“The president has directed that security agencies must as a matter of urgency ensure that these children and all those who have been kidnapped are brought back to safety and also in the process ensure that not a dime is paid for ransom”, Idris told State House correspondents after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja.
