A community leader said the kidnappers called on Tuesday and told them to gather the ransom within 20 days.
The hostages are being held in a tough place to avoid attacks, according to the DHQ.
Last week, gunmen kidnapped 287 students and teachers from the LEA Primary School and the Government Secondary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State, and now they want N1bn for their release.
The criminals also set a deadline of March 27, 2024, for the ransom to be paid.
On Tuesday, the bandits got in touch with a spokesman for the families of the hostages and asked for the ransom, as reported by Reuters.
The criminals took the schoolchildren into the forest on March 7, 2024.
A community leader, Jubril Aminu, said he received a call from the kidnappers on Tuesday, as per Reuters.
Aminu mentioned, "They demanded N1bn ransom for all the pupils, students, and staff of the school.
"They gave 20 days from the date of the kidnap (March 7) to pay the ransom, and threatened to kill everyone if it's not paid."
A councillor representing Kuriga Ward, Idris Ibrahim, confirmed the ransom demand.
"Yes, the kidnappers called using Jubril Aminu's number and made the demand," he said.
"They called from a hidden number, but the authorities are trying to trace it," Ibrahim told Reuters.
He also mentioned that security forces are working to secure the release of the students.
However, a source in the Kuriga community reported heightened tension after the bandits' demand.
"The revelation by community leader, Jibril Aminu, has caused a lot of tension in Kuriga, especially among the parents of the abducted students. They are in a state of trauma and need support to cope," the source said.
"The demand for N1bn ransom is a substantial amount, and the community cannot afford it. One parent is extremely unwell due to worry for her daughter who left home without breakfast.
There is apprehension among the Kuriga people. They feel abandoned by the government."
The source also expressed concern about who is behind the kidnapping, stating that ISWAP is responsible for abducting the Kuriga students and teachers.
There's a noticeable silence about the abducted Kuriga students, even among the politicians.
Councillor's statement
The Councillor for Kuriga Ward, Ibrahim, said the community cannot afford the N1bn ransom.
Idris, who revealed this to The PUNCH on Thursday in Kaduna, said the residents were already having a tough time with the difficult economy to support their families before the terrorists attacked.
He said, “We are only appealing to the Kaduna State Government and they have not promised us whether they will pay the ransom or not. The terrorists have not called since they demanded N1bn ransom.”
He expressed sorrow that since the incident happened, parents and their families have been having restless nights.
Idiris said, “There is tension and fear already in the community as most villagers are moving their families to neighboring villages.”
He added that most of the community members were mainly farmers, and the unfortunate incident would present a serious challenge as the rainy season approaches.
He made an appeal to the Kaduna State Government and military to send soldiers to the community so that people could regain their confidence.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Kaduna State Governor, Muhammad Lawal Shehu, said the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, was committed to rescuing the children.
He said, “The governor had a meeting with the National Security Adviser regarding the Kuriga community.’’
The CPS urged the media not to jeopardize the ongoing effort to rescue the kidnapped victims.
Efforts to reach the Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Hassan Mansir, for an update on the efforts to rescue the abductees were unsuccessful as he did not answer his mobile phone or respond to a text sent to the line.
The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, had informed reporters on Wednesday that President Bola Tinubu’s stance on the kidnappings in Kuriga was that security forces should secure the hostages’ release without any payment to the kidnappers.
“The President has directed that security agencies must urgently ensure that these children and all those who have been kidnapped are brought back to safety and also ensure that no ransom is paid.”
493 held captive
The recent kidnappings in the North have resulted in the captivity of about 493 children and adults in Kaduna, Borno and Sokoto states.
On March 4, 2024, around 200 women were reportedly taken by Boko Haram terrorists from the internally displaced persons camp at Gamboru-Ngala in Borno State.
While the United Nations estimated the figure to be about 200 females, residents stated that the missing women were about 102. The women were allegedly abducted when they left the IDP camp to look for firewood in the bush.
On March 11, The PUNCH reported that nine out of the 200 abducted women and girls had returned home. This means about 191 are still in captivity.
On March 9, it was also reported that bandits kidnapped at least 15 Tsangaya students at Gidan Bakuso area of Gada Local Government Area in Sokoto State. The incident occurred around 1am at the school premises.
On March 7, 2024, about 287 schoolchildren, some older students and members of the school staff were taken in the town of Kuriga, Kaduna State.
Based on the numbers mentioned above, it means that approximately 493 children and adults are currently being held by criminals in Kaduna, Sokoto, and Borno states.
NSCDC pledges to rescue
The head of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, stated on Thursday that the kidnapped students and teachers from Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School in Kuriga Chikun LGA in Kaduna will be saved.
Audi made this promise during a visit to the Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, as per a statement on Thursday by the NSCDC spokesman, Babawale Afolabi.
The CG mentioned that the corps is prepared to collaborate with relevant security agencies to secure the release of the students and their teachers and to ensure that the culprits are held accountable.
Audi stated, “We are prepared to collaborate with all relevant security agencies and have all the necessary security measures in place to ensure that the masterminds of this terrible crime are brought to justice.
“The NSCDC continues to play a significant role in the country’s internal security and is the leading agency in the Safe Schools Initiative. Currently, we are working closely with the Nigerian Army, the Police, and others to ensure the swift and safe return of the kidnapped students.”
He urged communities in Kaduna State to closely cooperate with security agencies by providing useful intelligence and information to achieve the desired success and results later on.
Governor Sani praised the effective cooperation of the corps with the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police, and the DSS, emphasizing that all key stakeholders must actively participate to prevent criminal activities in Kaduna State.
The Defence Headquarters, on Thursday, condemned the recent abductions in Borno and Kaduna states as a despicable act of cowardice by the terrorists.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen Buba Edward, mentioned that the terrorists turned to attacking innocent citizens due to the military's intense campaign against them.
He noted that the terrorists and criminals were also aware of the imminent danger with the deployment of the newly acquired fighter jets.
Buba stated that the criminal groups intended to use the abducted students and IDPs as shields to avoid being attacked by the military.
He also mentioned that the criminal groups carried out the assaults to bolster their recruitment efforts, and added that the military had previously eliminated their leaders and fighters.
Buba expressed, “The terrorists have displayed extreme cowardice. If you have been following our operations, you will know that we have been pursuing them and eliminated many of their leaders and fighters. Our troops have carried out decisive attacks against them. They have made life difficult and dangerous for themselves. In response, they have targeted softer targets, and the reason is clear.
“I recently informed you that we have received some platforms. These platforms are not for show. If many do not understand the capabilities of these platforms, I can assure you, the terrorists do. To protect themselves, they conducted these recent attacks to use their victims as human shields and to strengthen their recruitment efforts because we have significantly reduced their numbers.
Buba said the hostages were being kept in a remote location.
He explained that the hostage situation is very sensitive and has occurred before in the ongoing war. The hostages are in hard-to-reach locations, but still accessible. This shows how desperate the terrorists are to avoid being attacked by the troops.
Buba also stated that the troops could have prevented the abductions if they had been alerted quickly.
However, he mentioned that the military would not stop until the kidnapped victims were rescued.
In a related development, the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Inuwa Yahaya, expressed the governors' concerns about the increasing insecurity in the North.
He also mentioned that the northern governors called for a change in the approach to addressing insecurity in the region.
Yahaya, who is the Governor of Gombe state, revealed this after a closed-door meeting with the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribdau, and the Service Chiefs led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa.
The governors present at the meeting included Sani of Kaduna State; Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Radda Dikko of Katsina, and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state, among others.
Yahaya mentioned that the meeting was held to discuss and assess strategies for dealing with insecurity in the region.
He said, “The purpose of the meeting between the governors and the service chiefs and the NSA was related to security, which is very critical, particularly due to the recent kidnappings in the Northwest. We are very concerned and need to discuss, reassess, and possibly consider new options to achieve better results.”
Zamfara victims rescued
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army reported that it had rescued seven people who were kidnapped in Marange Village, Kagara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The suspects, including two infants and five women, had been held in kidnappers’ hideouts since January 2024 before being rescued from Kuyambana Forest in Zamfara State by the troops of the Hadarin Daji on Thursday.
The troops' spokesperson, Lieutenant Suleiman Omole, mentioned that the rescue mission was mostly successful after the troops entered the forest and carried out an offensive operation in the area.
Omole stated, “The successful rescue operation was due to the continuous pressure put on the bandits by the troops, leading to the victims escaping from the terrorists’ hideouts. The troops' interception on March 13, 2024, marked the start of their journey to freedom.”
“After their rescue, the victims underwent debriefing sessions and were promptly handed over to the relevant authorities for the necessary procedures to reunite them with their families.”
The General Officer Commanding 8 Division Sokoto, Major General GM Mutkut, praised their determination and tactical skills and encouraged them to maintain this spirit until peace and normalcy are restored.
The soldiers also saved around 10 other people in the Tsafe area of Zamfara State on March 13, 2024.
Additional reports:
- Uthman Salami and Solomon Odeniyi • Kidnappers phoned on Tuesday and gave us 20 days to gather ransom, according to a community leader • The captives are kept in a difficult location and used as human shields to avoid attacks, as stated by the DHQ The attackers, who abducted 287 students and teachers from the LEA Primary School and the Government Secondary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State last week have requested […]
