[UPDATED] Kagara Students Have Not Been Released — Niger Governor

Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, has said the 42 persons
abducted by bandits from the Government Science College, Kagara, in
the state, have not been released.

Rumour was rife on Sunday night that the students had been
released.

At a press conference in Minna, the governor said efforts were
being made to rescue them unhurt.

Recall how gunmen suspected to be bandits stormed the school on
Wednesday, abducting 27 students and some staff members.

While one student who tried to escape was gunned down, a member
of staff luckily broke loose from captivity.

Meanwhile, the passengers who were abducted last week Sunday by
bandits affiliated to the Abubakar Shekau’s faction of Boko Haram,
Jama’atu Ahlussunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, have been received at
Government House, Minna.

The victims who walked into the government house hours after the
governor announced their release were however not allowed to
interact with journalists.

The passengers on board a Niger State Transport Authority bus
were abducted in Kundu village, near Zungeru in Yakila District of
Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

The incident, according to reports, occurred around 3 pm when
the bandits waited in ambush as the public transport vehicle ran
into the blockade.

A video released by the group seen by SaharaReporters on
Wednesday shows the passengers begging the Nigerian government “to
do something” about their release.

Some children and women were seen crying and pleading for the
government to pay N500m ransom to facilitate their release.

Also in the video, one of the gunmen can be heard speaking in
Hausa dictating to the victims what to say.

The bandits as well displayed their arsenal of weapons in a show
of strength, threatening to eliminate their hostages if the
government fails to pay the ransom or tries to secure their release
by force.

Niger State Governor, Sani Bello, has said the 42 persons
abducted by bandits from the Government Science College, Kagara, in
the state, have not been released.

Rumour was rife on Sunday night that the students had been
released.

At a press conference in Minna, the governor said efforts were
being made to rescue them unhurt.

Recall how gunmen suspected to be bandits stormed the school on
Wednesday, abducting 27 students and some staff members.

While one student who tried to escape was gunned down, a member
of staff luckily broke loose from captivity.

Meanwhile, the passengers who were abducted last week Sunday by
bandits affiliated to the Abubakar Shekau’s faction of Boko Haram,
Jama’atu Ahlussunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, have been received at
Government House, Minna.

The victims who walked into the government house hours after the
governor announced their release were however not allowed to
interact with journalists.

The passengers on board a Niger State Transport Authority bus
were abducted in Kundu village, near Zungeru in Yakila District of
Rafi Local Government Area of the state.

The incident, according to reports, occurred around 3 pm when
the bandits waited in ambush as the public transport vehicle ran
into the blockade.

A video released by the group seen by SaharaReporters on
Wednesday shows the passengers begging the Nigerian government “to
do something” about their release.

Some children and women were seen crying and pleading for the
government to pay N500m ransom to facilitate their release.

Also in the video, one of the gunmen can be heard speaking in
Hausa dictating to the victims what to say.

The bandits as well displayed their arsenal of weapons in a show
of strength, threatening to eliminate their hostages if the
government fails to pay the ransom or tries to secure their release
by force.