The abductors of the 27 students and 15 workers of Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State, have boasted that security agents would never be able to rescue the abductees.
The bandits in an audio record reportedly made available to the PUNCH, vowed to starve the abductees to death if the ransom they are demanding is not paid on time.
Naija News understands that the audio of the threat was released to newsmen on Wednesday, February 24 by renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheik Ahmad Gumi.
Speaking in the Hausa language in the said audio, a leader of the bandits said he was aware that many security agents and vehicles had been deployed in Kagara, vowed that the children will definitely die of hunger as he has no food to feed them with.
He said: “I don’t have food for them. If anybody dies among them, we will tell you where to go and pick the corpse.
“You know these children are hungry. I don’t have food to give them, only water if they are going to die, let them die.”
The bandit while still conversing with a negotiator identified as a top official of the school said he would not accept N2.7m offered him as a ransom for the 27 abductees. The PUNCH quoted the negotiator saying it would be difficult for him to get the phone numbers of all the parents as requested by the bandits.
Speaking about efforts been made by the state government to rescue the abductees using security agents, the bandit leader asked the negotiator: “You think I don’t know what you people are doing? I can tell you how many security vehicles are in Kagara as we speak.
“It is with the help of the people of the city that intruders can overrun the city. Don’t you know that? The person who gave us this business is there among you. He is there with you. Wherever you go, he is watching you. If you want to do this deal, go ahead. From God, we come and to Him, we will return.
“Even if you put together the entire security forces of Nigeria in Kagara, I have eyes all over Kagara. Whichever step you take in Nigeria, I swear, I will know. You people are saying they should not pay us, that if they pay us, we will use to money to buy weapons. With whose money did we buy our weapons? If we don’t have weapons, you will just send security agents to kill us and take the children.”
“If I want Kagara to be in peace, it will be in peace. If it is not going to be in peace, it will go in pieces from here until Ilorin. If I die in this process, I have children that I have instructed that if I die that I don’t want Kagara to be peaceful if you don’t do as I say. Even if I die, nobody will come into Kagara,” the abductor added.
Meanwhile, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) has said Nigeria can overcome its security issues if those in the position of authority plan appropriately.
Naija News reports that Babangida stated this on Wednesday when speaking in an interview on Channels TV.