FCTE: Principals Not Levied to Get Ransom for Kidnapped UBE Chairman

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Education Secretariat has denied reports that principals in the FCT were levied to contribute N50 million to effect the release of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (FCTUBEB) Chairman, Dr Sule Alhassan. In a statement yesterday, the Director of Administration and Finance at the FCT Education Secretariat, AbdulRazak Leramoh, described the report as fictitious. 

He said the negotiation for Alhassan’s release was at the instance of the captive’s family and his friends.“This is to put it to the public that this is completely untrue and unknown to the FCT Secretariat and the Universal Basic Education Board of the FCT, and to the FCT Administration,” explained Leramoh.

“We are aware of one of our officers who unfortunately was involved in the attack and is currently in the custody of the attackers.

“He added, “The family has been negotiating with the attackers to release the officer. The FCT Education Secretariat and the FCT SUBEB, and the FCT Administration are not involved in any way.

This is purely the affairs of the family member and friends.”An online platform had reported that principals in the FCT junior secondary schools had been levied N20,000 each to raise the N50 million ransom demanded by terrorists to release the Alhassan.Alhassan was abducted on the Abuja-Kaduna train attacked on April 4.

According to the report, a circular was sent to the principals by FCTUBEB via WhatsApp to raise the ransom after the kidnappers contacted Alhassan’s family, reducing the ransom to N50 million from N500 million.The principals were urged to raise the money to save Alhassan’s life urgently.