TERRORISTS have claimed responsibility for the kidnap of about 200 pupils of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina, Niger State.
According to a report, the terrorists made contact with the school management on Monday, demanding the sum of N110 million for the release of the pupils by the end of Wednesday.
The headmaster of the institution Abubakar Alhassan stated that the terrorists threatened to kill the kidnapped pupils if the deadline was not met.
Alhassan also said that the message had been passed on to officials of the state government, who maintained that ransom would not be paid to terrorists.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary of the state Mary Noel-Berje, Deputy Governor Ahmed Mohammed Ketso disclosed that the government was in pursuit of the kidnappers, and measures were being taken to ensure the safe release of the Tegina Islamic School Children.
“We don’t pay ransom to abductors. We are trying to negotiate to see how we can bring them back safely,” it read.
The statement also noted that the government had identified some parents of the abducted pupils and assured them of the safe return of the children.
The ICIR had reported the kidnap of the pupils from the Islamic school in Niger State on Sunday. One person was shot dead, while another was injured during the incident.
In a statement released on its Twitter page two days ago, the Niger State government, announced that some of the younger kidnapped pupils had been released by the terrorists.
“Meanwhile, 11 children who were too small and couldn’t walk among the kidnapped Islamiyya Students, were released by the Gunmen,” it read.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.