President Bola Tinubu has ruled out payment of ransom to the gunmen who kidnapped 286 students and staff from a school in Kuriga Kaduna last week.
The bandits made a N1billion ransom payment to set the kids and their teachers free.
“They made a total of a 1 billion (naira) ransom demand for all the pupils, students and staff of the school,” Jubrli Aminu, a community leader, told Reuters.
“They gave an ultimatum to pay the ransom within 20 days, effective from the date of the kidnap. They said they will kill all the students and the staff if the ransom demand is not met.”
Idris Ibrahim, an elected official from the Kuriga Ward municipal council, confirmed the ransom demand and the amount.
“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.
Speaking on the kidnap after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris hinted that President Tinubu has directed that no ransom amount should be paid to the kidnappers.
He said the security forces have told to doubled their efforts to rescue the children and their teachers.
