The fate of over 286 students and staff abducted from the joint Government Secondary and LEA Primary School in Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, hangs in the balance as their abductors issue a chilling ultimatum.
Reports indicate that the armed bandits stormed the school shortly after the assembly gathering, capturing the pupils and several staff members in a brazen attack.
In the wake of the abduction, which has sparked widespread concern across Nigeria, the terrorists have reportedly demanded a staggering sum of N1 billion ($620,432) for the release of the victims.
According to community leader Jubril Aminu, who acts as a spokesperson for the families of the kidnapped victims, the abductors contacted him via phone on Tuesday, laying out their ransom demands.
“They made a total of a N1 billion ransom demand for all the pupils, students, and staff of the school,” Aminu disclosed. “They gave an ultimatum to pay the ransom within 20 days, effective from the date of the kidnap. They said they will kill all the students and the staff if the ransom demand is not met.”
Corroborating this information, elected official Idris Ibrahim from the Kuriga Ward municipal council confirmed the ransom demand, stating that the kidnappers reached out through Aminu’s number.
While efforts are underway to trace the hidden number used by the abductors, the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna State, Samuel Aruwan, assured that security forces are actively working to secure the release of the abducted students.
However, there was no comment from Aruwan regarding the kidnappers’ demands.
In a separate development, Minister of Information Mohammed Idris relayed President Bola Tinubu’s stance on the Kuriga kidnappings, emphasizing that security forces must secure the release of the hostages without yielding to ransom demands.
