Abductors of 156 Tegina School Girls Increase Ransom Demand to N200m

By Laleye Dipo

The abductors of the 156 pupils of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina town, Niger State, last Sunday, have increased the ransom demanded for their freedom to N200million.

Initially, the bandits demanded N110million for their release with a threat that if by Thursday (yesterday) the money was not paid, the children would be killed.

However, the bandits reportedly got across to the parents yesterday evening that the ransom has been increased to N200million with the same threat.

Father of five of the victims and a tipper driver, Malam Ali Mohammed, confirmed the latest development to THISDAY yesterday night.

Mohammed, who was sobbing during the conversation with THISDAY, said: “The bandits are serious about killing our children if we cannot pay.

“We are poor people; we don’t have such money, so we are pleading with the government to come to our rescue.”

THISDAY learnt the parents and public-spirited people in the community have been able to raise only N11million, a large chunk of the money was by a top political office holder in the area.

It was also learnt that a mother of one of the victims, whose name was not given, died yesterday as a result of trauma.

The remains of the deceased was interred in Tegina yesterday evening according to Islamic injunction.