We Won’t Negotiate With Terrorists To Free 287 Kidnapped Students — Kaduna Gov Denies Hiring Private Negotiator

The Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has denied engaging a private negotiator in efforts to secure the release of hundreds of students abducted in the state earlier this week.

Muhammad Shehu, spokesman for the governor, labelled the reports as ” mischievous and false.”

He insisted the state government has not hired and is not considering hiring any third-party negotiator.

“The Kaduna State Government has a clear policy on non-negotiation with terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements,” Shehu said, calling for caution in reporting the matter to avoid undermining efforts against the criminals.

“We wish to state categorically that the Kaduna State Government did not hire any private negotiator; neither is it contemplating to make such move.”

The rebuttal comes after 287 students were kidnapped on Thursday when assailants raided the Kuriga community located along the Kaduna Birnin-Gwari Road.

The attackers abducted 100 pupils and their headteacher from the LEA Primary School, Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area as well as 187 students from a secondary school that was relocated to the primary school premises as a result of insecurity in the area.

Reacting on Friday, President Bola Tinubu condemned the abductions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State and students in Kaduna State, describing the incidents as heinous acts against vulnerable victims.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Tinubu directed security and intelligence agencies to immediately rescue the abducted students and ensure justice is served against the perpetrators.

Over 200 IDPs were reportedly abducted in Ngala Local Government Area of Borno on February 29, while the Kaduna abductions took place on March 7.

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, also called for the enactment of laws to enforce capital punishment for kidnappers, describing them as cowards for mainly targeting women and children.

“Enough is enough and I call on state governments and other authorities to serve kidnappers with capital punishments once identified…Any one of them captured deserves a capital punishment,” she said during a meeting with the National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

ActionAid Nigeria also demanded urgent rescue of the abducted victims, with the Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, calling on the Kaduna, Borno and federal governments to prioritize their safe return.

“We vehemently condemn these brazen acts of terror on innocent civilians which tragically mirror past atrocities such as the abductions of the Chibok and Dapchi girls,” Mamedu stated.