President Bola Tinubu has affirmed his administration’s resolve to resist yielding to ransom demands from kidnappers targeting children in Kaduna and Borno State. He has also issued directives for the prompt release of the abducted children in the Northwest States.
The disclosure was made by Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, following the conclusion of the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Abuja.
Idris stated, “So, the security agencies are working round the clock. These children and people who have been abducted by criminal elements will be brought back to safety pretty soon. And Mr. President has also directed that no ransom will be paid by the government to any of these criminal elements. I think it’s important that this be put out there.”
Additionally, Idris mentioned that the government is evaluating the assistance offered by foreign organizations for the retrieval of the kidnapped children. He commented, “Well, we’re aware that it’s not just the US that has offered. Other countries have also offered to support Nigeria. But what we can tell you is that the government is still reviewing these offers, and the position of the government will be made known.”
Context
School abductions continue to pose a persistent security challenge in Nigeria’s northern region, particularly since the infamous 2014 kidnapping of over 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram extremists in Borno state’s Chibok village. Armed gangs have since targeted schools for ransom kidnappings, resulting in the abduction of at least 1,400 individuals since then.
In a recent incident, dozens were abducted in a fresh attack by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State. This marked the third mass kidnapping in northern Nigeria since the preceding week, when over 200 people, primarily women and children, were abducted by suspected extremists in Borno State. Additionally, 287 schoolchildren were taken hostage from a government primary and secondary school in Kaduna state.
Vice President Kashim Shettima convened with officials and some parents of the kidnapped students in Kaduna state, assuring them that security forces are diligently working to locate and rescue the children.
