The Kaduna State Government has enlisted the services of a private negotiator to engage with the terrorists responsible for the abduction of 287 students and teachers from the Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School, Kuriga 1, in Kaduna State’s Chikun Local Government Area.
A reliable source within the state government confirmed the engagement, indicating that the government had initiated contact with the bandits through this negotiator (whose identity remains undisclosed) with the aim of securing the immediate release of the abducted individuals.
According to reports from PUNCH, the negotiator is a highly influential individual known for successfully negotiating the release of hostages in previous abduction cases.
Previously, SaharaReporters had detailed the terrorist attack on LEA Primary School, Kuriga, occurring around 8:30 am on a Thursday, shortly after the morning assembly, where pupils and staff members were taken captive.
It’s noteworthy that the secondary school had been relocated to the primary school premises due to security concerns in the area. Governor Uba Sani, who visited the school on the day of the incident, reassured the public that efforts were underway to safely rescue the abducted students.
Sani while addressing the community members said, “In my capacity as your elected governor, I am assuring you that by the grace of God, all the children will return unhurt.”
Just under 48 hours following the abduction, sparking national outrage, an official source revealed that the government had initiated contact with the bandits to negotiate the release of the 287 abducted pupils and school staff members.
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The source said, “The military has begun combing the forests in search of the children kidnapped by the bandits. Security agents have cordoned off the area and they have started searching for the abducted pupils.
“The government is doing all it can for the speedy release of the abducted school pupils.
“The government has established contact and reached out to the bandits for negotiation through a popular bandits negotiator. The negotiator was the one who worked for the return of some of the students abducted some years back.
“He (the negotiator) had negotiated the return of so many abductees in the past. He negotiated the return of those students abducted in Katsina State years back.”
Two additional government officials confirmed the progress to PUNCH but preferred anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter. They declined to provide further details, expressing worries that doing so might endanger ongoing efforts to secure the release of the victims.
Reports indicate that the governor convened an emergency security meeting on Friday, yet specifics of the deliberations remained undisclosed to the press.
Acknowledging the security meeting, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, assured that more details would be forthcoming.
