From Our Reporter
The Kaduna State Government has warned that, anyone who caught negotiating with bandits on its behalf would be caught and prosecuted.
This was stated today by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan.
The commissioner said, “Anyone caught negotiating with bandits, on government’s behalf, would be prosecuted”.
Aruwan stated that the Kaduna State Government did not appoint any group or individual to negotiate on its behalf with bandits over the abduction of the 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Mando in Igabi Local Government Area of the state.
The 48-hour-ulmatum given to both the State and Federal Government to ensure the release of the abducted students by the parents who protested over their children has expired.
One of the parents of the abducted students, Alhaji Ibrahim Shamaki, whose daughter spoke in Hausa in the viral video released by the bandits has died due to the trauma.
Recall that the students were abducted on Thursday, March 11, 2021, when the bandits in their large numbers invaded their school located opposite the Nigerian Defence Academy along the Kaduna International Airport road.
However, on Sunday, through Aruwan, the government distanced itself from anybody discussing on its behalf with bandits for the release of the students.
The Commissioner in a statement titled, ‘No intermediaries appointed by Governor El-Rufai to negotiate with bandits,’ said, “The attention of the Kaduna State Government under the leadership of Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been drawn to reports in the media that it has appointed representatives to interface with bandits on its behalf.
“The Kaduna State Government hereby clarifies firmly that such intermediaries have never been appointed.
“The position of the Kaduna State Government remains the same: the Government will not negotiate with or pay ransoms to bandits”.
“Any person who claims to do so in any capacity, if found, will be prosecuted accordingly.
“Citizens are urged to report the details of any persons posing as official government negotiators to the Kaduna State Security Operations Room on 09034000060 and 08170189999, or email internal.security@kdsg.gov.ng.”
