By Laleye Dipo
The Niger state government has disclosed that bandits who kidnapped the school girls from the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School in Tegina town of Rafi local government are monitoring the activities of the government.
The bandits are also following every step being taken by the government to rescue the children.
Secretary to the State Government Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed Matane disclosed this to THISDAY in Minna on Saturday in response to claims that the government had abandoned the parents of the children since the incident occurred almost a week today.
Matane gave as example the first press conference addressed by government on the matter, saying everything that transpired during the media briefing was known to the bandits.
He debunked claims that the government had abandoned the parents to their fate saying government is working discreetly in order not to arouse unnecessary attention.
He added that the visits to Tegina and talks between the parents and the school management by the Chairman of the local government were at the instance of the government.
“The Chairman of the local government was directed to liaise with the school authority and the parents, to officially condole with them on behalf of the government and he has been doing that”, he said.
Matane also disclosed that very soon the girls will be rescued and reunited with their parents but said details of the rescue plan will not be made known to the public.
“Government has given assurance that it is doing everything possible within its resources to bring back the children and reunite them with their parents”, he declared, adding, “We are managing the situation as it is and we pray we rescue the children very soon”.
On the exact number of pupils abducted, the government secretary said, “No one is sure of the figure, even the school does not have accurate number of their pupils.”
He pointed out that “government is now locating the parents to enable it know how many pupils were in the school when the incident happened”.
Matane said the ransom demanded by the bandits was increased from N110m to N200m because “they (bandits) thought government was coming in” but added that it was not the policy of the state government to pay ransom to bandits”.
Bandits riding on motorcycles had last Sunday abducted the pupils from their school in broad day light.
The victims, mostly girls, whose ages ranged from 8 to 10 years, were led to the hills in Tegina where they were first held hostage
.
