Gunmen Threaten To Kill Abducted 287 Pupils If N1bn Ransom Is Not Paid Before March 27 Deadline

The sum of N1bn has been demanded by gunmen who kidnapped 287 students and teachers from the LEA Primary School and the Government Secondary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State last week before their release.

Osun Defender reports that the schoolchildren were on March 7, 2024, abducted by the hoodlums who took them into the forest.

Also, a deadline that would elapse on March 27, 2024, for the payment of the ransom was given by the hoodlums.

It was gathered t t the gunmen contacted a spokesman for the families of the hostages on Tue ay and demanded the ransom.

A community leader, Jubril Aminu, who acted as a spokesman for the families of the hostages, according to
Reuters, said he received a call on his phone from the kidnappers on Tuesday.

Aminu stated, “They made a total of N1bn ransom demand for all the pupils, students, and staff of the school.

“They gave an ultimatum to pay the ransom within 20 days, effective from the date of the kidnap (March 7). They said they would kill all the students and the staff if the ransom demand is not met.”

Also, a councillor representing Kuriga Ward in the ChikunGovernmentornment, Idris Ibrahim, confirmed the ransom demand.

“Yes, the kidnappers called the community through Jubril Aminu’s number and made the demand,” he said.

“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.

The medium gathered that there was heightened tension in the area following the demand of the bandits.

“After the disclosure by a community leader, Jibril Aminu, to the Kuriga people, there has been a lot of tension in Kuriga, particularly among the parents of abducted students of that particular community. They are in a state of trauma. They need oxygen to survive, that is the stage we can describe how they are.

“Saying that the kidnappers need N1bn, honestly speaking, it is a huge amount of money and the community does not have the money to pay. One of the parents (a woman) of the abducted students is terribly sick because her main concern is her daughter who left the house without breakfast.

“There is an apprehension among Kuriga people. They said the government has abandoned them.’’

The source further stated that there was also the concern about “who kidnapped these students. It is now established that ISWAP is behind the abduction of Kuriga students and teachers. Some said that those people who abducted the train passengers are responsible for this issue.

“Honestly, there is a conspiracy of silence regarding these abducted Kuriga students. Nobody, even the politns are not talking about the abducted school children.”

Meanwhile, the Councillor representing Kuriga Ward, Ibrahim, said the community could not afford N1b ransom

He said the residents were already struggling with the hard economy to feed their families before the terrorists struck.

He stated, “ We only make our appeal to the Kaduna State Government and they’ve not promised us whether they are going to pay the ransom or not. The terrorists have not yet called since they made their demand of N1bn ransom.”

“ There is tension and fear already in the community as most villagers are evacuating their families to neighboring villages.”

The Chief Press Secretary to the Kaduna State Governor, Muhammad Lawal Shehu, said the Kaduna State Governor , Uba Sani, was committed to rescuing the children.

He stated, “He (the governor) had a meeting with the National Security Adviser regarding the Kuriga community.’’

The CPS appealed to the media not jeopardize the ongoing effort toward rescuing the kidnapped victims.