Nigeria’s federal government has assured it will secure the safe release of abducted students and teachers of the Government Science College Kagara, Niger State.
Forty-two persons, 27 of them students, three staff and 12 members of their families were kidnapped in an early morning raid on the school by the bandits who also killed a student, Monday Benjamin Doma.
A high-powered delegation of the federal government which was in Minna to commiserate with the government and people of the state gave the assurance during a courtesy call on Governor Abubakar Sani Bello at government house.
The delegation was led by the National Security Adviser Major General Babagana Monguno and included the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that of Internal Affairs Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, his counterpart of the Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi as well as the Inspector General of Police Mr Abubakar Mohammed Adamu.
Mongunu who spoke on behalf of others said the strategy used to secure the release of kidnapped Kankara schoolboys will be adopted to get the students out, but said that those behind the kidnap will be arrested and prosecuted.
“We are going to work with our partners, with the community to ensure these students are returned unhurt, I also assure you that we will get them released unharmed”.
The NSA disclosed that the issue of banditry and kidnapping has been an issue of concern to the government but said the administration ” has put in place strategies to deal with the situation,” adding that the security agencies ” have also restrategised”.
Monguno disclosed that to improve the security architecture of Niger State, four additional units of mobile policemen have been deployed to the state while his office is working with the DSS and other intelligence groups.
In his remarks, the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the Federal Government will leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of lives and property of all Nigerians.
“Government will not surrender it’s sovereignty to criminals,” Mohammed said, promising that the challenges being faced by the country will soon be a thing of the past.
Mohammed said the federal government delegation has endorsed all the strategies put in place to secure the release of the students and their teachers and therefore called for support and cooperation of the public to get the victims released.
The Inspector General of Police Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Adamu expressed concern with happenings in the state and the North Central and North Western geo political regions of the country and therefore called on the communities in these areas to give information that will lead to the arrest of criminal elements in the society.
Earlier, the Niger State Governor Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello disclosed that his government will not pay ransom to bandits because it has been discovered that the money being paid to them have been used to purchase arms and ammunition.
Bello however said that any of the bandits that genuinely repents will be assisted by the government to live a normal life.
The federal government delegation later went to Kagara for on the spot inspection of the school.