Kaduna govt establishes contact with kidnappers of 287 pupils, tutors

Kaduna govt establishes contact with kidnappers of 287 pupils, tutors

Kaduna State Government has established contact with abductors of 287 pupils and teachers of LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Kuriga, in the Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

This, according to a report by Saturday Punch, was achieved through a popular negotiator, contacted to secure the release of the abducted kids with their tutors.

The report quoted a reliable source in the Kaduna State Government House close to the negotiations as saying the state government had reached out to the bandits through a private negotiator for the release of the pupils and their teachers.

The private negotiator is said to be a highly influential fellow involved in negotiating several abductions with bandits in the past.

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, who visited the school on Thursday, made a firm promise that the abducted pupils would be rescued unhurt.

Sani while addressing the community members said, “In my capacity as your elected governor, I am assuring you that by the grace of God, all the children will return unhurt.”

The source was quoted as saying, “The government is doing all it can for the speedy release of the abducted school pupils.

“The government has established contact and reached out to the bandits for negotiation through a popular bandit negotiator.

“The negotiator was the one who worked for the return of some of the students abducted some years back.

“He (the negotiator) had negotiated the return of so many abductees in the past. He negotiated the return of those students abducted in Katsina State years back.”

Bandits had invaded the LEA Primary School, Kuriga, around 8.30am on Thursday shortly after the assembly gathering and abducted the pupils and some staff members of the schools.

It was learnt that the secondary school was recently relocated to the primary school premises as a result of insecurity in the area.