No Ransom Was Paid To Release Kaduna Schoolchildren — Minister Of Information

Mohammed Idris

THE 137 pupils who were abducted from Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area, Kaduna, were freed without any ransom, the federal government claimed on Monday.

Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, made this announcement following the Federal Executive Council's (FEC) regular meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He claims that the refusal to pay the ransom is consistent with President Bola Tinubu's approach to handling these situations.

According to Idris, the president said that everyone implicated in kidnappings of this nature within the nation will be brought to justice and expressed gratitude to the security services for their safe return.

The governor of Kaduna, Uba Sani, had declared the schoolchildren's release in a statement on Sunday.

The minister declared: “Mr President and members of council were happy to note that, as promised by Mr. President, these children were reunited or have been rescued from the captors and as usual and in keeping with the commitment of Mr President, no ransom was paid.

“The Federal Executive Council and Mr President are very grateful to especially the National Security Adviser, the service chiefs and all security agents who participated diligently in ensuring that these kidnapped children are reunited with their families.

“The government is determined to ensure that the lives and property of all Nigerians are protected at all time and Mr. President has also charged security agencies to ensure that these kidnappings are brought to a halt finally in this country.

“Indeed, all those who are participating in this criminal act will be fished out by the security agencies and will never go unpunished.”

Regarding the precise quantity of students abducted from Kaduna and saved, the minister stated that all of them had been reunited with their families and that there had been no reports of any abductees dying or having their identities concealed.

“There was a question that reports that 287 of these children were taking you know what I can tell you is that there is no report that any of these kidnap victims either died or has been withheld, so all those that have been taken, have been brought back in safety to their families. I can tell you that. Thank you very much,” he explained.

Idris further stated that Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a Muslim cleric in Kaduna, is subject to the law and can be called upon by security services to provide clarification on any comment he makes.

The minister responded by saying that the government will do all it takes to get the pertinent information needed to address security issues. Gumi has been speaking about bandits and how they are treated, so why hasn't he been invited?

The spokesperson for the federal government said: “What I can tell you is that government will not stop at anything to get any kind of information that it requires to solve our problems. The security agencies are up and doing.

“Shiekh Gumi, or any other individual for that matter, is not above the law. If you have suggestions that are constructive enough for the security agencies to take, they will take, but if they think that he is also making some statements that appear to be reckless, he will also be reprimanded.

“There is nobody that is above the law in this regard. And I'm aware, let me put it here, that I'm aware that he has been also a guest of the security agencies to answer questions.

“When you make remarks, especially remarks that border on national security, it is incumbent on the security agencies to dig further into that, and they are doing just that. No one is above the law in this direction.

“I just thought that I should put that out.”