Abductors of the 156 pupils of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have detained the man sent to deliver the ransom over a shortfall of N4.6million.
It was gathered that the bandits claimed that the N30million delivered to them by the man, identified only as Kassimu, was incomplete by N4.6million and they therefore held him captive along with the children until the money was completed.
One of the parents of the abducted children said, “The bandits refused to release the children and also held the man we sent, Kassimu Tegina, with the help of a negotiator. They said the money is less N4.6million. They insisted we must complete it, and in addition buy them six motorcycles.”
While recounting their experience, another parent said, “They said as a punishment we must buy six motorcycles and complete the money. We struggled to raise the N30million and we have exhausted our goodwill to raise the N30million. So, we are confused; they (bandits) are playing on our intelligence. We are going through hell in their hands.”
The Head Teacher of the School, Alhassan Garba Abubakar, who also confirmed this, said the N30million was delivered to the bandits.
He said, “But we are yet to see the person we sent with the money and the children. They demanded six Honda motorcycles that cost N490,000 each. That means we need another N6million with the N4.6million they claimed was short of the N30million delivered as the latest ransom.”
Parents of the pupils were told to pay N30million earlier in the week but they were able to raise N20million which was collected, but three days later, the bandits after collecting the money refused to release the children.
It was gathered that the bandits claimed that the N30million delivered to them by the man, identified only as Kassimu, was incomplete by N4.6million and they therefore held him captive along with the children until the money was completed.
One of the parents of the abducted children said, “The bandits refused to release the children and also held the man we sent, Kassimu Tegina, with the help of a negotiator. They said the money is less N4.6million. They insisted we must complete it, and in addition buy them six motorcycles.”
While recounting their experience, another parent said, “They said as a punishment we must buy six motorcycles and complete the money. We struggled to raise the N30million and we have exhausted our goodwill to raise the N30million. So, we are confused; they (bandits) are playing on our intelligence. We are going through hell in their hands.”
The Head Teacher of the School, Alhassan Garba Abubakar, who also confirmed this, said the N30million was delivered to the bandits.
He said, “But we are yet to see the person we sent with the money and the children. They demanded six Honda motorcycles that cost N490,000 each. That means we need another N6million with the N4.6million they claimed was short of the N30million delivered as the latest ransom.”
Parents of the pupils were told to pay N30million earlier in the week but they were able to raise N20million which was collected, but three days later, the bandits after collecting the money refused to release the children.
(SaharaReporters)
