Negotiation for the release of 27 pupils and 15 workers abducted by bandits from Government Science College, Kagara, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, on Wednesday, February 18 has continued with the abductors demanding the release of their men held by security agencies as a condition to free the abductees.
The secretary to the Niger State government, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, who is in the negotiation team, confirmed the development.
Security agents, who have identified where the abductees are kept and as well as state governor, Mr. Abubakar Sani Bello had mounted pressure on the bandits for most of yesterday, but they refused to yield.
Kaduna State-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi joined the drive to free the abductees on Thursday when he, in company with some government officials, met the bandits in the forest, but could not secure freedom for the abductees because of the ransom issue.
Punch quoted Gumi as confirming that he had met with an influential leader of a bandit group to broker a negotiation with the bandits responsible for the Kagara abduction.
He said banditry was turning into an insurgency which must be urgently addressed, noting that the abductors were demanding the release of their members arrested by security agents as well.
“I met with people who know the people responsible (for the abduction), which is one step ahead. Before now, when there was a kidnapping, we wouldn’t know those responsible, but now, we have met a leader who knows (these people) because he is commanding a large area and knows the person who did it and he is going to speak to him and plead with him (to release the abducted pupils and other victims. Since there is a peace process going on, they should release them. They (the bandits) too have people arrested by security agents. So, I am telling people, this is turning into an insurgency.”
Asked if the bandits were demanding the release of their arrested members as a condition to release the victims, Gumi said: “They did not really give it as a condition. We are just saying, ‘Please release them,’ and they said, ‘Okay, we will release them (the pupils and staff members of the school) but we also want you people to consider our people (bandits) that were arrested.’”
On how soon the victims would be released, the cleric said, “We hope they (students) will be released soon because he (the influential leader) said he knows the man and he is going to talk to him.”
He maintained that the latest kidnapping by the bandits had reinforced his call for amnesty, adding that he was happy that people had started seeing reason with him.
“It is not magic, I am telling you. I am not a criminal and I am not cajoling any government but I want peace in this country.
“People now understand me more and more. These people are harmed; just tell them: ‘Drop your arms, I will not pursue you legally; repent, I will rehabilitate you and I will build schools for you.’ You can’t go by force or with confrontation,” Gumi said.
Meanwhile, Bello said he would not pay ransom to bandits, and that the abductees must be freed unconditionally.
He said his stand was informed by the realisation that ransoms collected were being used to purchase more arms and ammunitions which they in turn use to terrorise the people.
The governor said he was ready to resettle the bandits and help them live normal lives once they laid down their arms.
Addressing the press in Minna yesterday, the governor said the abductees could be released in a matter of hours or days.
“At the moment, there is no additional information apart from the one we have at hand. Our priority is to make sure we bring back the students safe, things are speculated or rumoured, but we cannot work with these at situations like this,” he said.
Bello appealed to the parents of the pupils and the people of the state to remain calm, assuring them that the government was making frantic efforts to ensure the release of the students and other people.
“I want to assure you that we are doing everything we can. We are interfacing with the local communities, federal authorities and our own state authorities to ensure that we recover the victims safely.
“Our utmost priority right now is to make sure we bring them back home safely, and that is exactly what we are going to do.”
He said his administration would ensure schools are more secure by fencing them and strengthening vigilante groups to complement the conventional security agencies.
