Breaking: Kaduna Govt says anyone caught negotiating with bandits will be prosecuted

The Kaduna State Government says it never appointed 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 state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, who stated this on Sunday, added that anyone caught negotiating with bandits, on government’s behalf, would be prosecuted.

NewsWireNGR recalls that a number of students were abducted on Thursday, March 11, 2021, when bandits in their large numbers invaded their school located opposite the Nigerian Defence Academy along the Kaduna International Airport road.

The Students are yet to be released and parents of the abducted students are said to be reaching out to influential Nigerians to release their children abducted – former Senator Shehu Sani had also tweeted he contacted prominent Sheikh Gumi to secure the release of the abducted students.

It is however not clear who the statement is targeting, but 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 [email protected].”