Suspected bandits who abducted students of an Islamiya school in Tungan-Bako village, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, have reportedly demanded more than ₦100 million as ransom for their release.
The abductors reportedly contacted village leaders to communicate their demands after kidnapping the students while they were harvesting maize on a farm at the weekend.
The schoolteacher, Malam Aminu Bako, disclosed this while identifying the 15 abducted students and appealing to the Federal and Niger State governments to intensify efforts to secure their release.
Speaking to Leadership, Bako expressed concern over the safety of the students, alleging that the affected families had received little practical assistance since the incident, leaving local vigilantes to lead efforts to locate the abductors.
He said the chairman of Rafi Local Government Area and the Divisional Police Officer were the only government officials who had visited the community since the abduction.
According to him, intelligence gathered by the vigilantes indicated that the children were still being held in an isolated building within Niger State, guarded by heavily armed bandits.
“We heard that they were still within Niger State, locked in a building, probably without food. We are worried; we want the authorities to come to our aid to rescue them,” he said.
Bako added that he had been under intense pressure from the parents, who were naturally worried about the safety of their children.
He lamented the absence of representatives of the state government, saying their visit would have given the families hope that efforts were being made to secure the students' release.
The teacher further disclosed that the bandits contacted village leaders the previous evening, demanding more than ₦100 million as ransom.
Confirming the development, a parent, Malami Adamu, told Leadership that the abductors initially believed the students attended government schools and demanded the money on that basis,
saying the village leaders later informed the bandits that the victims were students of an Islamiya school.
“They told whoever spoke with them yesterday that the students were from government schools, so they should pay over ₦100 million, but they were told that the students were from Islamiya schools,” he said.
Adamu appealed to the Niger State Government to intervene and provide additional security support, insisting that the community could not rely solely on local vigilantes.
“This is not the time to leave us to only the vigilantes,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Niger State, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the abduction, saying suspected bandits invaded Tungan-Bako village and kidnapped some people working on a farm.
He said police reports indicated that about 14 of the abducted victims were students of an Islamiya school, adding that joint security operations were ongoing to rescue them.
The teacher subsequently released the names of the 15 abducted students as Hassana Isah, Aliya Ahmad, Hajara Musa, Hauwa’u Abubakar, Halima Yahaya, Asma’u Jamilu, Radiya Salisu, Aminatu Salisu, Aisha Bello, Rahinatu Sani, Aminatu Alhassan, Nafisa Ayuba, Bilkisu Adamu, Salaha Abdullahi and Hajara Salisu.
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