Bandits who abducted about two hundred Islamiyya (Arabic) school students in Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have released 11 of their victims.
It was gathered that those released are small children between the ages of four and five years who are unable to walk very well.
A resident who gave his name as Zayyad Mohammed confirmed to newsmen in a phone conversation that the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya school where the incident took place, was built by a retired Immigration Officer.
Eleven of the abducted students have now regained their freedom as confirmed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Niger State Governor, Mary Noel Berge.
She said: “11children who were too small and Governor, Mary Noel Berge.
She said: “11children who were too small and couldn’t walk, among the kidnapped Islamiyya Students, were released by the gunmen.”
“Governor Abubakar Sani Bello described the incident as unfortunate and unbecoming of the serial attacks.”
“He assured the Joint Military Taskforce has been mobilised to the area and already tracing the gunmen for possible isolation and ambush.
“Bello appealed for calm and restated the strong resolve of his government to protect lives and property.
Meanwhile the bandits have made contact with the management of the institution.
The bandits contacted the school headmaster, Alhaji Abubakar Alhassan, around 4pm on Monday, asking him to pay N110m as ransom for the release of his pupils.
Speaking to journalists on the telephone on Tuesday, Alhassan said the bandits claimed to have 156 pupils with them.
According to him, the kidnappers threatened that if they did not pay the ransom by the end of today (Wednesday), they would kill all the children.
Alhassan said the message had been passed to the state government, which said it would not pay any ransom.
It was learnt that some public-spirited people in the community had, however, started raising the money.
