The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Tinubu, on Wednesday, declared that no person should pay a dime as ransom to kidnappers in order to free about 280 recently abducted students and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State.
While the deliberations lasted, President Tinubu gave a stern warning to the security personnel in the country to go after the kidnappers and rescue the abductees without payment of any dime.
Recall that over 280 pupils and teachers of Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga, Kaduna State, were abducted by bandits on March 8, a development that triggered national outrage.
The bandits operated unhindered in Kuriga area of the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, shooting at their victims before taking away at least 280 comprising of students and teachers away.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, gave hint of what transpired at the FEC while briefing State House reporters.
All these come just as the controversial Muslim cleric, Sheik Gumi, has advised the Federal Government to negotiate with the terrorists.
Gumi had warned President Bola Tinubu not to toe the line of previous governments, as embracing negotiations with bandits was more beneficial.
Recall also that the bandits have allegedly made demands of ransom to the tune of N40 trillion, specified number of Hilux vans and motor-bikes to secure the release of the victims.
Although the security agencies have recorded some successes in its onslaught on bandits and other criminal elements, the unreasonable ransom being demanded by the bandits appears to have infuriated the government, prompting the presidential directives.
Beyond the Chibok in Borno and Dapchi in Yobe kidnap incidents, this incident signifies another mass kidnapping in the country in few years, highlighting the country’s significant security challenges.
Kidnappings have surged, with SBM Intelligence, a Nigerian risk management consulting firm reporting 3,620 kidnappings from July 2022 to June 2023, and 4,777 kidnappings recorded since President Tinubu took office.
