THE State Government says it has arrested some of the bandits who abducted students of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyyan School, Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area.
Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, who made this known in Minna this evening said that “some of the bandits are in our custody.”
He spoke shortly after presiding over the over two hours security meeting at the government house in Minna.
Ketso presided the meeting in the absence of Governor Sani Bello who travelled abroad.
The bandits’ arrest is coming less than 48 hours after the schoolchildren were kidnapped.
Ketso who didn’t state the number of bandits arrested, also said the security agents are already on trail of the rest of the bandits with a view to rescuing the children.
The deputy governor, however, ruled out payment of any ransom but assured that the abducted children will be rescued the same way the Kagara Science College Boys were rescued.
“We don’t pay ransom to abductors. We are trying to negotiate to see how we can bring them back safely.
“But first of all, we are trying to get in touch with the parents of those abducted because some of them came from other states to acquire the Islamic education. The government does not know their parents or where they came from.
“We are still taking the census of the children to know the exact numbers that were actually abducted. Nevertheless, the government will do everything possible to ensure their safe rescue.”
Ketso also conceded that the abductors of the schoolchildren took the government by surprise, highlighting that due to the incessant attacks on schools in parts of the state, the government through a proactive measure, has temporarily converted all boarding schools in the state to day schools.
In addition to this, he pointed out that “the government made sure that every primary and secondary school in the state has a semblance of the security team that can respond immediately.”
