By A prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, has said the kidnapped students of the Government Science College, Kagara, Niger state, might be released today, Sunday, February 21.
This is coming four days after the some bandits invaded the school and whisked away 27 pupils and 15 staff members after killing a Senior Secondary School 3 pupil — who was later identified as Benjamin Habila.
In an interview with The Punch on Saturday, Gumi said there was a possibility that the abductees might regain freedom on Sunday, February 21, given ongoing talks between the government and the bandits.
Recall the cleric recently visited some forests in Zamfara state and held talks with some bandits and consequently called for amnesty for bandits.
Gumi said the negotiation for the release of the schoolchildren and members of staff was slowed down due to logistics, adding that the negotiation does not involve payment of ransom.
“What I hear from (our contact) is that they are still negotiating to release them (schoolchildren and staff members) and hopefully, hopefully, we will get them tomorrow (Sunday), hopefully.
“Up till now, they have not been able to identify the boys, who (did the kidnapping). You know they are splinter groups. So, when you are dealing with groups like that in a vast area, with no communication, no road, then it has to be slow. But the main actors are ready to negotiate and stop the kidnapping altogether,” he was quoted to have said.
According to the cleric, the bandits are mainly asking the state to release their comrades in the custody of security agencies
Gumi added: “They have just four people in detention and they are asking for them. They also need assurance and that is why we are calling for amnesty for them. They have been fighting for a long time; it’s been more than eight years.
“These people are fighting for their existence because when they go to town they are lynched, when the police see them on the road, they arrest them; sometimes they are executed extrajudicially, so they took arms against the state. When you give them amnesty, all of them will drop their weapons.”
