Nasir el-Rufai, governor of
Kaduna state, says kidnappers are now collaborating with “some elements of Boko
Haram” to hold people for ransom.
He spoke 24 hours after gunmen
abducted six schoolgirls and two staff members from a boarding school in
Kaduna.
A source had earlier revealed that the kidnappers are demanding a ransom of N50 million.
While addressing state house
correspondents on Friday, el-Rufai confirmed that the kidnappers had made
contact with the parents of the victims but refused to disclose the ransom they
are demanding.
“First, I must say it is most
unfortunate and tragic. For us in Kaduna for this kidnap of children and teachers
to happen. The report I got is that six students of a private secondary school
were kidnapped along with two teachers,” he said.
“As at this morning (Friday), the
kidnappers have made contacts with the parents, and we have got the parents of
the kidnapped children and the relations of the teachers to be in one place so
that, there is one line of communications with the kidnappers to facilitate
their release.
“However, from the moment of the
kidnap, the security agencies, all agencies, from the DSS to the Police, the
Nigerian Air force, and the Army have been on the matter and I am confident
that not only are we going to secure the release of the students and their
teachers, but we are going to get the kidnappers by the grace of God.
“It is always a moment of sadness
when young people that are trying to get an education become victims of these
criminals. But kidnapping has become widespread that for many people, it is not
news. For us in Kaduna, this is one of the biggest tragedies and we are doing
everything to manage the situation to get the children and their teachers
safely and pursue these kidnappers with everything that we have got.
“I get updates every three hours
on this and the last update I got is that they are in touch and they are
discussing to resolve the matter. We have been receiving intelligence some
three months ago, that the bandits have connected with some elements of Boko
Haram, and they will be targeting schools to kidnap children because they know
that that is what makes the news.
SCHOOL ATTACKED BY KIDNAPPERS IS
‘IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE’
“And we have reinforced security
around our schools. This school called Engravers Academy is in the middle of no
where until yesterday, two days ago, when the kidnapping happened, I didn’t
know the school. It is right in the middle of the bush along Abuja/Kaduna road.
It’s in the middle of no where really, that’s why it was vulnerable. Other
schools are protected and no one should have any doubts that if your child is
in Kaduna state. we are doing our best to protect him or her.”
On efforts to prevent recurrence,
the governor said adequate arrangement was on ground to protect all the schools
in the state.
“We already have this arrangement
in place, this school fell the crack because it is quite isolated. It’s in the
middle of nowhere, kilometers off Kaduna that is why it was vulnerable,” he
said.
“But other schools are being
watched and we do regular surveillance, we use the Nigerian Air Fforce planes,
we use drones. We do regular surveillance all across the state and we get
intelligence as to likely targets. So, with the help of security agencies, we
are doing the best we can on this. Of course, you can never get this 100
percent.
“Security challenges evolve, you
close this chapter, the other one opens, so it’s work in progress. And the
reason why we are here is to continue to address those problems with the best
resources available and we are getting the cooperation of all the federal
agencies.”
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