Abductors of FGC students release video of captives, make demands

Bandits who abducted students and teachers from the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, in Ngaski Local Government Area of Kebbi State last Thursday, have released a video allegedly of the captives, with many of them in their school uniforms.

In the video released on Monday, and aired by Arise TV, a bandit who gave his name as Dogo Jide, describing himself as being behind many school abductions in the past, said they were willing to release the remaining students and their teachers on the condition that security agencies release their men earlier captured prior and after the kidnap.

Jide insisted that if their members are not released, they would have no option but to kill the captives as they have nothing to lose in the process.

He also warned the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Bagudu, against l sending local hunters after them as there will be a lot of casualties, but to play a mediating role in getting his men released so that the students and their teachers can be released as well.

READ ALSO: Kebbi govt orders closure of seven schools over insecurity

From Jide’s tone in the short video, it is apparent that the pressure from security agencies since the abduction must have forced the hands of the bandits as they are too willing to come to a compromise.

Reports from Kebbi indicates that since the abduction where a mobile police officer was killed alongside a student who was shot dead by the bandits, the police, Army, Air Force, local hunters and vigilante groups have all joined forces in combing the forests for the bandits.

The combined operations have so far led to the rescue of some of the captives while some bandits have also been killed in the process and it is believed this heat must have forced the criminals into changing their tactics of placing a huge ransom on the victims.

By Isaac Dachen

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