Malam Aminu Bako, a teacher at an Islamiya school in Niger State, has revealed that bandits who abducted his students have demanded over N100 million to release them.
Bako, whose students were kidnapped while helping him harvest maize on his farm, said the kidnappers contacted village leaders the previous evening to make the ransom demand.
He also released the names of the 15 abducted children and called for urgent military action, lamenting that the victims’ families and school had received no real support beyond the efforts of local vigilantes.
According to him, the acting chairman of Rafi Local Government Area and the Divisional Police Officer were the only government officials who visited after the incident.
Information gathered by vigilantes suggests that the children are still being held in an isolated building in Niger State, guarded by heavily armed bandits.
“We heard that they were still within Niger State, locked in a building, probably without food. We are worried; we want the authorities to come to our aid to rescue them,” he said.
Bako added that parents were putting him under pressure over their children’s safety.
“We are also worried that nobody has visited us from the state government, at least to give us hope that something is being done to ensure their release,” he added.
A parent, Malam Adamu, confirmed the ransom demand, saying the bandits initially thought the children attended government schools.
“They told whoever spoke with them yesterday that the students were from government schools, so they should pay over N100 million, but they were told that the students were from Islamiya schools,” Adamu said.
He appealed for government intervention, adding, “This is not the time to leave us to only the vigilantes.”
Meanwhile, Niger State Police spokesperson Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the attack on Tungan-Bako village in Rafi LGA, where suspected bandits abducted people working on a farm.
Police said about 14 victims were Islamiya students who had accompanied their teacher to harvest maize. They added that joint security operations were ongoing, although residents said only vigilantes were present.
The abducted students are Hassana Isah, Aliya Ahmad, Hajara Musa, Hauwa’u Abubakar, Halima Yahaya, Asma’u Jamilu, Radiya Salisu, Aminatu Salisu, Aisha Bello, Rahinatu Sani, Aminatu Alhassan, Nafisa Ayuba, Bilkisu Adamu, Salaha Abdullahi and Hajara Salisu.
