The Government of Kaduna State has started negotiating for the release of 287 abducted students and teachers from Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga 1 in Chikun Local Government Area.
A reliable source in the Kaduna State Government House shared that the government has engaged the services of a private negotiator to communicate with the bandits and secure the release of the pupils and teachers.
The negotiator enlisted by the government is experienced in negotiating with bandits for the release of abductees.
The pupils and staff members of the LEA Primary School, Kuriga, were taken by the bandits around 8.30am.
Due to the insecurity in the area, the secondary school was moved to the primary school premises.
Governor Uba Sani visited the school and assured that the abducted pupils will be safely rescued.
Governor Sani assured the community members that all the children will return safely.
Less than 48 hours after the abduction, the government initiated negotiations with the bandits for the release of the abducted pupils and staff members.
The military has begun searching the forests for the kidnapped children, and security forces have cordoned off the area to find the abducted pupils.
The government is making every effort for the swift release of the abducted school pupils.
The government has established communication with the bandits for negotiation through a well-known negotiator who has previously secured the return of abducted students.
The negotiator has successfully negotiated the return of numerous abductees in the past, including students abducted in Katsina State years ago.
Two government officials confirmed the development but requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
They declined to provide further details, expressing concerns that it could hinder the ongoing efforts to secure the victims’ release and put them in harm’s way.
One of them emphasized the sensitivity of the issue and the need to protect the victims, negotiator, and security operatives from harm.
He reiterated the commitment of the Kaduna State Government to do everything possible to secure the release of the victims, as promised by the governor during his visit to the affected community.
It was reported that the governor held an urgent security meeting on Friday, but the details of the discussions were not available to journalists.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, verified the security meeting and stated that details would be given later.
The Governor's Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Shehu, did not answer his calls and had not responded to a text message about the situation at the time of publication.
Bandits kill worshippers
At least two worshippers were killed during Friday’s prayers at Anguwar Makera in the Kwasakwasa community, Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred around 2pm on Friday, according to locals in the area.
A community leader, Hudu Kwasakwasa, who confirmed the incident, said the bandits opened fire on the worshipers.
He said the worshippers were in the second raka’at of the Salat prayer when they were attacked, forcing the remaining people to run for their lives.
He added that a few days ago, bandits abducted about nine persons from the Angwar Kanawa community.
Kwasakwasa appealed for help from the authorities concerned, adding that bandits were raiding the communities unchallenged.
The state government and the police command were yet to react to the mosque incident as the PPRO could not be reached on the telephone and had yet to reply to a text message sent to him seeking confirmation as of the time of filing this report.
Parents seek rescue
When Saturday PUNCH established contact with one of the parents of the kidnapped pupils through a Joint Task Force operative, who availed one of our correspondents of the use of his mobile telephone, the traumatised father, who spoke in the Hausa language amid sobs, said, “I never knew I would be in this situation. I heard of things like this, but I never knew I would be a victim.
“What have I done to deserve this? Please I’m not myself. I should die.
“I pray for the governor to fulfil his promise of my son’s release along with the other innocent children, otherwise, we are finished.”
The JTF source informed Saturday PUNCH that the villagers saw over 100 bandits conveying the pupils on motorcycles.
This claim was also corroborated by a community leader, Alhaji Idris Abdurra’uf.
According to Abdurra’uf, a community leader from Birnin-Gwari, a neighbouring community to Kuriga, residents of the community are fleeing the area for fear that the bandits may return.
Abdurra’uf, who expressed concern over the latest incident, added that Kuriga was the same community where a school principal, Idris Abusufyan, was killed and his wife and two children abducted about three weeks ago and were still being held hostage by the bandits.
He also disclosed that residents of Doka village, which the terrorists used as a pathway to Zamfara State, said they spotted scores of the bandits on motorbikes carrying the abducted pupils.
The community leader told Saturday PUNCH that the residents were yet to ascertain the number of the abducted pupils abandoned by the terrorists on their way to Zamfara State.
He said that as of Thursday night, they were informed that some of the deserted schoolchildren had been moved to Birnin-Gwari. After identifying them, they will be able to determine how many students were abandoned and they will be reunited with their parents.
He mentioned that the situation at Kuriga was tense even before the recent kidnapping of the pupils. Many residents have evacuated their families and become Internally Displaced Persons, some in Birnin-Gwari and others in nearby Igawa.
Kuriga village, which is less than 26 kilometers from Birnin-Gwari town in the Chukun Local Government Area, is located along the Kaduna Birnin-Gwari highway.
The village is close to the terrorists’ hideout in Manini, which is the gateway to Niger State through River Kaduna. The terrorists from Zamfara pass through that place to Manini to Alawa and Shawara in Niger State.
Three weeks before the students were abducted, the terrorists had killed the principal of the Government Secondary School Kuriga around 4am, while his wife and two children were taken. The wife and children are still being held captive.
The secondary school was the first building on the road when coming from Kaduna before entering Kuriga. Due to its proximity to Manini, the school was moved to the main town of Kuriga where the primary school is also located. This is why when the terrorists attacked, they took pupils from both the primary and secondary schools.
Abdurra’uf added, “At this time, we have not yet determined the number of primary school students the terrorists abandoned on their way to Zamfara. Last night (Thursday), some locals in Doka, which is also the base of the terrorists in Zamfara, reported seeing over 100 motorbikes carrying the kidnapped students.
As of last night, we were told that some of the abandoned schoolchildren of Kuriga were taken to Birnin-Gwari. After identifying them, we will be able to determine how many students were abandoned and they will be reunited with their parents.
We have gathered that 220 students from both the primary and secondary schools were taken.
The situation in that town was highly tense even before the students were kidnapped. Most people have evacuated their families and become IDPs; some are in Birnin-Gwari and others are in nearby Igawa, which is also a town on the Kaduna highway, and Buruku close to the Kaduna International Airport, all in the Chikun Local Government Area.
‘IDPs wandered off’
The abductors of the over 200 IDPs from the Ngala camp, Gamboru-Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State have not contacted the families of the abductees for ransom.
Immediately after the report of the abduction, the state government sent a fact-finding team led by the Director-General of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Dr Barkindo Saidu, to the Nigeria-Chad border town.
Saidu told reporters in Maiduguri on Friday, “No kidnapper has yet called for any ransom for the abductees.
“We don’t even believe that they were abducted. If they were abducted, the abductors would have by now called for ransom; but nobody has called anybody for any ransom yet.”
The director general argued that the internally displaced persons probably lost their way back home from wherever they went in the bush, and added that some of them had already returned to the camp.
“Already, the internally displaced persons, who could find their way back home, are slowly returning. Even when I returned to Maiduguri from there yesterday (Thursday), I was called and told that two of the so-called abductees had found their way back to the camp,” he added.
The military declined to provide further information beyond the initial assurance by the spokesman for the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Ajemusu Jingina, on Wednesday that troops, with the help of the air component of Operation Hadin Kai, had been sent for a search-and-rescue operation for the abductees.
Lawmaker, others react
The Chairman, Chikun Local Government Area, Salasi Musa, said the communities that made up the council area were praying for the safe return of the pupils.
“We have nothing to say other than to pray for their safe return. The list of the kidnapped pupils is being compiled. So we cannot say anything specifically now about the number of the pupils abducted,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senator Lawal Usman, who represents the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, condemned the kidnapping of the pupils.
The lawmaker said he was saddened by the incident and extended his deepest sympathy to all the parents and families of the victims.
According to him, it is time the security agencies take the battle to the enclave of the bandits terrorising the state.
Usman stated, “In the last few weeks, the Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone has witnessed the escalation of tension as result of terrorists’ attacks, killings and abduction in several communities in the Kajuru, Chikun, Birnin-Gwari, Giwa and Igabi local government councils.
“Today, I am saddened and in a state of rude shock over the abduction of pupils of the primary and secondary schools at Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area, along the dreaded Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna highway.
“The spate of gruesome attacks and abductions in recent days has demoralised the citizens and further put them in a traumatic condition without any sign of relief.
“As a senator representing the area, I extend my deepest sympathy to all the parents and families of the pupils abducted at Kuriga and all those who lost their precious lives.
“Although our security forces are working assiduously to bring our children back safely, I urged the government at all levels and our security forces to be more proactive rather than reactive in dealing decisively with miscreants terrorising our communities.
“Despite all the efforts and successes recorded by the security forces to curtail attacks by terrorists, there is the need to take the fight to the doorstep of the terrorists.”
Recall that penultimate Thursday, bandits invaded Gonin-Gora in the troubled Chikun LGA, forcing the residents to barricade the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway in protest against the abduction of an unspecified number of people in the area.
Tinubu promises rescue
President Bola Tinubu has condemned what he described as “heinous incidents of abduction” involving vulnerable victims, internally displaced persons in Borno State, and students in Kaduna State.
The United Nations expressed strong disapproval of the kidnapping of more than 200 people from an IDP camp in the Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.
The UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, stated on Wednesday that the people who were taken, including women, boys and girls, were seized while gathering firewood.
Even though the exact number of abducted IDPs is not known, Fall mentioned that it could be over 200 people.
He also said that the terrorists let go of some older women and children under 10 years old.
Just 24 hours later, insurgents kidnapped over 280 students and teachers from Government Secondary School and LEA primary school at Kuriga, Kaduna state, on Thursday.
Tinubu, after being briefed on both incidents, reassured Nigerians of ongoing rescue efforts.
In a statement from his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the President stated, “I have received a briefing from security chiefs on the two incidents, and I am confident that the victims will be rescued. Nothing else is acceptable to me and the waiting family members of these abducted citizens. Justice will be decisively administered.”
The statement also said, “The President directs security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the victims and ensure that justice is served against the perpetrators of these abominable acts.
“The President sympathised with the families of the victims, assuring them that they would soon be reunited with their loved ones.”
UNICEF and ActionAid denounce kidnapping
The United Nations Children Fund has denounced the abduction of students by bandits in Kaduna State.
UNICEF stated it was working with local officials and providing help to the affected parents and families through psychological support services.
The UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, mentioned in a statement that the frequent occurrence of such incidents across the country indicated a crisis that required immediate and determined action from all levels of government and society.
Munduate remarked, “I am deeply saddened and concerned by the reports of yet another abduction of students in Kaduna State. The alarming frequency of such incidents across the country signals a crisis that requires immediate and determined action from all levels of government and society. Schools are supposed to be sanctuaries of learning and growth, not sites of fear and violence.
“This latest abduction, as any previously, is highly condemnable and part of a worrying trend of attacks on educational institutions in Nigeria, particularly in the North-West, where armed groups have intensified their campaign of violence and kidnappings. Just a day prior to this incident, the UN Resident Coordinator spoke about the abductions of large numbers of women, girls, and boys by members of a non-state armed group in Borno State.
“UNICEF urges immediate action to ensure the safe return of the abducted children and staff, and calls on authorities to implement comprehensive measures to secure schools across Nigeria. It is imperative that the safety and security of students and educators are guaranteed, allowing schools to fulfil their role as safe havens for learning and development.”
She said that the right to education is very important and needs to be protected from any kind of violence or threats.
Munduate commented, "Our thoughts are with the families of the kidnapped students and staff, and we support them during this difficult time. The right to education is very important and needs to be safeguarded from any form of violence or threats. The children of Nigeria deserve to study in peace."
"UNICEF is working with local authorities and providing help to the affected parents and families through mental support services. The UN children’s agency is committed to working together with government bodies, local communities, and various partners to address the underlying issues causing violence against children and to protect educational environments from threats and violence.
"Every child should be able to grow up in a peaceful environment, free from the constant threat and insecurity. Unfortunately, we are currently experiencing a significant decline in community safety, with children bearing the brunt of this decrease in security.
Amnesty faults govt
Similarly, Amnesty International Nigeria has criticized the government for failing to protect citizens from attacks across the country.
The organization urged the government to take all necessary steps to ensure the safe release of the abducted individuals, and to quickly investigate the causes of the repeated abductions, disclose the findings, and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
"The mass abductions in Nigeria this week, including over 400 displaced individuals in Borno State and 287 students and teachers in Kuriga, Kaduna State, are a shocking indictment of the authorities’ continuous failure to protect people from attacks by armed groups that have killed thousands of Nigerians in the last five years," AI said in a statement on Friday.
"The organization is urging the Nigerian government to take all necessary steps to ensure the safe release and return of those abducted to their families. Authorities must also promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, effectively, and transparently investigate the recurring cases of abductions in many parts of the country, disclose the findings of any investigation and ensure that the suspected perpetrators are brought to justice in fair trials," AI’s Media and Communications Assistant, Michael Christian, said in the statement.
Amnesty’s Country Director, Isa Sanusi, had earlier lamented the failure of the government to protect the citizens, stating that the latest abductions showed that the Tinubu government had no effective plan to end years of atrocities committed by gunmen and bandits.
Sanusi said, "The latest mass abductions clearly show President Bola Tinubu and his government have no effective plan for ending years of atrocities by armed groups and gunmen that are increasingly having a free reign across many parts of Nigeria. Whatever security measures are being implemented by President Tinubu and his government are clearly not working.
“Because insecurity is getting worse in Nigeria, it's clear that the government is not making protecting people and their property a top priority. People should not have to live in fear of the next attack or kidnapping. The Nigerian authorities consistently failing to protect people is completely unacceptable and needs to stop.”
ActionAid’s statement
ActionAid Nigeria also criticized the abductions in Borno and Kaduna states.
In a statement on Friday, the Country Director of ActionAid, Andrew Mamedu, said the incidents were similar to the previous abductions of the Chibok and Dapchi school children, and every moment without action was bringing the country closer to a repeat of tragic outcomes of previous abductions.
He urged the Borno and Kaduna state governments, as well as the Federal Government, to prioritize the immediate rescue of the abductees and reunite them with their families.
Mamedu said, “We strongly condemn these bold acts of terror on innocent civilians, which tragically resemble past atrocities such as the abductions of the Chibok and Dapchi girls. We call on the Kaduna and Borno state governments and the Federal Government of Nigeria to prioritize the urgent rescue of the abducted IDPs and ensure their safe return to their families.
“Every moment without action brings us closer to a repeat of the tragic outcomes witnessed in previous abductions. It is absurd and unacceptable that over 200 Nigerians in Borno State have been kidnapped since February 29 without any decisive action being taken to rescue them, and that scores of children were abducted in Kaduna State just a few days later. We refuse to tolerate the same failures and slow progress in rescuing our abducted compatriots.”
The group also requested accountability and justice for all the victims of abductions, while urging security agencies to learn from past mistakes and take decisive action to prevent further harm to the abductees.
It emphasized the urgent need for the government to prioritize the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative agreed upon by federal and state governments, noting that insecurity “has contributed to the current 20 million children who are out of school, and the Safe Schools Initiative aims to address these challenges and ensure a safe learning environment for all children in Nigeria.”
Atiku decries rising insecurity
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed his strong disapproval of the state of insecurity and condemned the killings in Benue as well as the abductions in Kaduna and Borno states.
Atiku, in a statement on Friday, expressed his sorrow that the problem of insecurity in Nigeria was getting worse every day and described it as a clear sign of governance failure.
He said, “The problem of insecurity in Nigeria is getting worse by the day. The media has been filled with frightening news of banditry, kidnapping, and bloodshed that has turned our country into perhaps one of the most terrorized territories on earth.
“Within one week, there have been many reported cases of mass abduction of hapless citizens in the North-West, North-East and North-Central regions of our country. In the early hours of Thursday, schoolchildren numbering over 280, together with their teachers, were abducted in Kuriga, Kaduna State, by bandits riding on motorcycles without any challenge by security agencies. Earlier in the week, it was reported that scores of women and children fetching firewood were abducted by gun-toting bandits suspected to be members of Boko Haram. It was also reported that over 200 people, mostly women and children, were abducted from the IDP camp in Ngala in Borno State. Just yesterday, scores of people were killed during a massacre at Wa-ndoo, a community in Mbalom, Gwer-East Local Government Area of Benue State.
The number of cases is endless, and the problem seems never-ending. The government controlled by the APC has failed miserably to provide the basic things that a responsive government should. It is a clear demonstration of governance failure.
Atiku expressed compassion for the victims and their families, and urged security agencies to increase efforts to protect Nigerians from bandits and terrorists.
He also said, “The government has continued to ignore the insecurity issue. While the vulnerable are neglected, the government is only talking about reforms without taking action. Our young men are being abducted, killed, or forced to join the terrorists, and our women and girls are being assaulted and subjected to different forms of gender-based violence while the authorities do nothing. This goes against the constitutionally guaranteed commitment that the government's primary responsibility is the security and welfare of citizens.
“I stand with my fellow citizens and empathize with the victims and their families. I urge the security agencies to step up and rescue innocent citizens from the terrors of banditry and terrorism.”
‘Kidnappers deserve death penalty’
The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday, said kidnappers should receive capital punishment when caught by the authorities.
She condemned the abduction of children, calling it an attempt to destroy the country’s future.
“They (kidnappers) are cowards. Our hearts bleed. I call on the state governments that once we take hold of them, they deserve capital punishment,” Mrs Tinubu told a gathering of women leaders of the All Progressives Congress at the State House, Abuja.
A statement signed by the First Lady’s Special Adviser on Media, Busola Kukoyi, said Mrs Tinubu described the kidnappers as cowards for mainly targeting women and children, and said they were inhumane and should be treated as such.
She said, “Why can’t they take men of their size? Why are they targeting women and children? What they are doing is trying to destroy our future. When parents are old, we rely on our children. We see them as our investments. It is especially painful when they are successful.
“Why will you now take them from their schools? Right now, I think enough is enough. As a former lawmaker, I believe that any one of them captured deserves capital punishment.
“I believe most mothers will support me on this because we carry our children for nine months, and we cannot watch what we love to wither away.”
Court condemns kidnappers
Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of Taraba State, Justice Joel Agya, on Friday sentenced Yusufa Adamu and Adamu Abdullahi to death by hanging for kidnapping Balkisu Kambe and Maryam Musa in the Gashaka Local Government Area of the state.
Agya, while delivering the judgment in Jalingo, said the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge said the convicts committed the crime in 2019.
The prosecution counsel, Mr Samson Gimba, had told the court that Musa was kidnapped on September 2, 2019, at Serti, while Kambe was abducted at Angwan America in Baruwa on September 29, 2019.
The judge also found them guilty of criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of guns and gave each a 10-year prison sentence with no option for a fine.
The judge stated that the punishment for criminal conspiracy and illegal possession of guns would start from 2019, when they were arrested and held.
He mentioned that the convicted individuals admitted to the crime and receiving ransom, and one of the victims, Kambe, identified them as part of the gang who kidnapped her from her house when they couldn't find her husband.
Additional reports by Stephen Angbulu, Lara Adejoro, Nathaniel Shaibu, Abdulrahman Zakariyau and Uthman Abubakar