Niger Abduction: Islamic School Sells Land To Raise ₦50m Ransom

The management of Salihu Tanko Islamic School, Tegina in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have sold land belonging to the school to raise the ransom for the release of the kidnapped students.

It was gathered that the school sold part of its land to raise the initial ₦50m ransom paid to the bandits to release the children.

“After paying ₦50m ransom in two batches, the kidnappers insisted on collecting additional ₦20m and six motorcycles which will cost another ₦3m. A part of the school land was sold to raise the ₦50m paid,” a source told The PUNCH.

Naija News recalls that at least 200 school students were kidnapped from the Islamic school on 30th May 2021, while some of the students escaped from captivity.

The bandits had earlier demanded ₦200million ransom for the release of the school children but were reduced to ₦50 million.

They subsequently asked the parents of the pupils to pay ₦30m, but they were able to raise ₦25m. Three days later, the bandits, after collecting the money, refused to release the children, saying that the money was delivered to the wrong group.

Another ₦30 million was raised and delivered to the bandits, but the courier sent to deliver the ransom was detained by the bandits who claimed that the ransom money was short by ₦4.6million.

Speaking about the incident, one of the parents of the abducted pupils told newsmen that “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 ₦4.6m. They insisted we must complete it, and in addition buy six motorcycles,”

However, the parents have lamented the tactics used by the bandits, saying that they had exhausted every available means to get the children released from captivity.

The parents berated the state government for refusing to dialogue with them on efforts aimed at rescuing the children.

Speaking with reporters, one of the parents said, “We are tired; the government is doing nothing.”