The Federal Government on Saturday debunked rumours of payment of ransom for the release of the abducted Kankara schoolboys in Katsina State and the Dapchi schoolgirls in Yobe State.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed revealed this in an interview on a monitored Channels Television interview on Saturday.
“All these stories about ransom, are conspiracy theories,” the minister said.
The minister’s comments come days after another abduction of students in Kangara, Niger State, was executed.
TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that some Nigerians on social media alleged that the federal government has already paid Eight Hundred Million (N800,000,000:00) ransom to the bandits to free the abducted Kangara victims.
See some of the allegations on Twitter:
“Buhari will handle security, while Osinbajo will handle the economy.”
In fairness to the two characters, the statement has come to pass. Buhari has been handling security by paying bandits #800m while Osinbajo has been handling the economy by blowing grammar and sharing #5000.— Premier (@SodiqTade) February 20, 2021
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https://twitter.com/Enitan_sam/status/1363032577829974019?s=20
When we pay kidnappers huge amounts of ransom and do nothing about apprehending them, we are invariably encouraging others to tow the same path.
— Dr. Chinonso Egemba (@aproko_doctor) February 19, 2021
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So after collecting tax, stamp duty, they will use the money and pay bandits #800m am sorry but this government is the worst thing that happened to Nigeria since inception. Sani Abacha was right all along "If insurgency lasts for more than 24 hours, the gov. has a hand in it". 😥
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— Quinbee Modellare (@quinbeemodellar) February 19, 2021
https://twitter.com/ij_kush/status/1363022495582998529?s=20
Nigeria Haaaaaaa!!! #800m for what? Bandits? And ASUU dey strike for months because of unreached agreement with FG. Hmmmmm. I am speechless!!!
— Officialarole (@OfficialArole) February 20, 2021
TNG reports that the Kangara incident is the latest in the series of coordinated abductions carried out by bandits across the country, particular in the north.
Reacting to the incident, the minister who had on Wednesday visited the state with a Federal Government delegation to assess the situation, said the government is putting various strategies in place to curb the menace.
“Government has put in place various strategies to contain banditry, insurgency and kidnapping.
“Some of these measures are kinetic, some are non-kinetic,” Mr Lai Mohammed said.
He, however, ruled out the option of a ransom being paid for their release.
When asked: Will a ransom be part of the government’s strategy? the minister said: “No”.
He continued by saying: “I can assure you that the government is on top of the matter – but it is not a subject matter for television discussion.
“We didn’t get there overnight, that is why we can’t get out in one day”.
According to the minister, bandits and terrorists work with the psychology of people and they deliberately attack mostly women and children because they believe that is what is going to attract global outcry.
“That is exactly what bandits do all over the world,” he said, adding that “solidarity in any form will not be tolerated by this government”.
Armed men attacked the Government Science College Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State in the early hours of Wednesday, shooting sporadically, before abducting some students, staff members, and their families.
One student was also killed in the incident.
The operations started from the staff quarters and ended in the students’ hostels and in the process, other students were also wounded by gunshots.
The gunmen who were said to have worn military uniforms gathered some staff and students at a place for hours before moving them out of the school premises to an unknown destination.