Despite FG’s Denial, Freed Katsina Schoolboys Say Ransom Was Paid — Report

*Claim bandits demanded N1m for each of the 344
pupils

The schoolboys who were kidnapped from Government Science
Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, by suspected bandits
on December 11, have given more insight into the developments that
led to their release by their captors.

Speaking to Wall Street Journal (WSJ), based in the United
States, some of the boys narrated how they were thoroughly beaten
by the bandits, adding that a ransom was paid to the kidnappers
before they were freed.

Their narration conflicted with that of the federal government,
which said no ransom was paid.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and
Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday, said the rescuing of the
344 schoolboys from their captors who took them to a forest in
Zamfara State, was facilitated by repentant bandits. He also
reiterated an earlier statement by the Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the federal government didn’t
buy freedom for the pupils.

The WSJ, in a report yesterday, quoted three of the 344 boys as
saying in interviews that the kidnappers told them a ransom had
been paid for their release, while a person familiar with the
kidnappers’ talks with the government said a sizable sum had been
paid for the boys’ freedom.

Eight of the freed students, boys as young as 13, the report
said, were forced to eat raw potatoes and bitter kalgo leaves to
survive. They were seldom allowed rest and slept on rocky
ground.

“Government officials denied paying ransom and said the
kidnappers released the schoolboys because the military had
surrounded them.

“However, three boys said their kidnappers told them they were
initially paid 30 million naira, equivalent to around $76,000, but
decided not to release the boys because they had demanded 344
million naira-1 per head.

“They threatened to release only 30 of us when the 30 million
initial ransom was paid, said 16-year-old Yinusa Idris. They even
took 30 of us away on motorcycles ready to release,” the news
medium stated.

It quoted another of the abducted pupil, Imran Yakubu, a
17-year-old, as saying that the kidnappers told them: “One million
naira must be paid per each student…or we will recruit or kill
you.”

The paper also noted that person familiar with the negotiations
said a ransom was transferred in three batches.

The boys were further told, according to the WSJ, on December
16, that if they returned to school, they would be kidnapped
again.

“There were more than 100 armed men in the school courtyard.
They were shining bright flashlights and streaming into the
pastel-coloured buildings. ‘Gather here. We are soldiers,’ they
said.

WSJ added: “The gunmen, some on foot, others on motorcycles,
ordered the boys to walk in a long column, hitting anyone who
walked too slowly with a whip or rifle butt.

“At one point, when the guards were looking at the sky, two
students close to the back of the convoy tried to slip away. The
hostages were all told to halt so they could watch their classmates
being punished.

“The older one’s hands were tied to a tree and he was beaten.
Water was poured on his body in the early morning so that he could
feel the freezing cold,” one of the students narrated.

However, the Nigerian military said that “ kinetic and
non-kinetic approaches were used to ensure all the boys were
rescued unhurt”, saying that there was resistance from the
abductors who laid an ambush against the troops.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, and
Ahmed Jibrin, former Director, Military Intelligence, who spoke
when they featured on an NTA programme, “Good Morning Nigeria”,
insisted that no ransom was paid.

“Following the directive, the troop closed in on the abductors
from four different fronts, including the reinforcement that was
made from other divisions to ensure that the entire location was
sealed off.

“The bandits were all under siege and they were fully aware of
that, feeling the impacts of the presence of the troops both from
the air and on the ground,” said the military.

*Claim bandits demanded N1m for each of the 344
pupils

The schoolboys who were kidnapped from Government Science
Secondary School, Kankara, in Katsina State, by suspected bandits
on December 11, have given more insight into the developments that
led to their release by their captors.

Speaking to Wall Street Journal (WSJ), based in the United
States, some of the boys narrated how they were thoroughly beaten
by the bandits, adding that a ransom was paid to the kidnappers
before they were freed.

Their narration conflicted with that of the federal government,
which said no ransom was paid.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and
Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday, said the rescuing of the
344 schoolboys from their captors who took them to a forest in
Zamfara State, was facilitated by repentant bandits. He also
reiterated an earlier statement by the Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the federal government didn’t
buy freedom for the pupils.

The WSJ, in a report yesterday, quoted three of the 344 boys as
saying in interviews that the kidnappers told them a ransom had
been paid for their release, while a person familiar with the
kidnappers’ talks with the government said a sizable sum had been
paid for the boys’ freedom.

Eight of the freed students, boys as young as 13, the report
said, were forced to eat raw potatoes and bitter kalgo leaves to
survive. They were seldom allowed rest and slept on rocky
ground.

“Government officials denied paying ransom and said the
kidnappers released the schoolboys because the military had
surrounded them.

“However, three boys said their kidnappers told them they were
initially paid 30 million naira, equivalent to around $76,000, but
decided not to release the boys because they had demanded 344
million naira-1 per head.

“They threatened to release only 30 of us when the 30 million
initial ransom was paid, said 16-year-old Yinusa Idris. They even
took 30 of us away on motorcycles ready to release,” the news
medium stated.

It quoted another of the abducted pupil, Imran Yakubu, a
17-year-old, as saying that the kidnappers told them: “One million
naira must be paid per each student…or we will recruit or kill
you.”

The paper also noted that person familiar with the negotiations
said a ransom was transferred in three batches.

The boys were further told, according to the WSJ, on December
16, that if they returned to school, they would be kidnapped
again.

“There were more than 100 armed men in the school courtyard.
They were shining bright flashlights and streaming into the
pastel-coloured buildings. ‘Gather here. We are soldiers,’ they
said.

WSJ added: “The gunmen, some on foot, others on motorcycles,
ordered the boys to walk in a long column, hitting anyone who
walked too slowly with a whip or rifle butt.

“At one point, when the guards were looking at the sky, two
students close to the back of the convoy tried to slip away. The
hostages were all told to halt so they could watch their classmates
being punished.

“The older one’s hands were tied to a tree and he was beaten.
Water was poured on his body in the early morning so that he could
feel the freezing cold,” one of the students narrated.

However, the Nigerian military said that “ kinetic and
non-kinetic approaches were used to ensure all the boys were
rescued unhurt”, saying that there was resistance from the
abductors who laid an ambush against the troops.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, John Enenche, and
Ahmed Jibrin, former Director, Military Intelligence, who spoke
when they featured on an NTA programme, “Good Morning Nigeria”,
insisted that no ransom was paid.

“Following the directive, the troop closed in on the abductors
from four different fronts, including the reinforcement that was
made from other divisions to ensure that the entire location was
sealed off.

“The bandits were all under siege and they were fully aware of
that, feeling the impacts of the presence of the troops both from
the air and on the ground,” said the military.