Metro

Abductors of Nigerian school children demand ransom, issue deadline

Published

8 months ago

March 15, 2024

Terrorists who kidnapped 287 students and their teachers from the Local Education Authority Primary School and the Government Secondary School in Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria, on March 7, have demanded for N1bn ransom for their release.

The bandits also gave the distraught parents and families of their victims a March 27 deadline for the payment of the amount or they would kill all the captives.

This threat was brought to light when the bandits reportedly contacted family members of one of the victims and made their demands.

A leader in the Kuriga community where the abductions took place, Jubril Aminu, who acts as a spokesman for the families of the hostages, told journalists that he received a call from the kidnappers on Tuesday where they laid out their demands.

Aminu said the terrorists were emphatic about their demands and swore they would kill their victims if their demands are not met by the deadline.

“They made a total of N1bn ransom demand for all the pupils, students, and staff of the school,” Aminu stated.

“They gave an ultimatum to pay the ransom within 20 days, effective from the date of the kidnap, March 7. They said they would kill all the students and the staff if the ransom demand is not met.”

Also confirming the development, the Councillor representing Kuriga Ward in the Chikun Local Gornment Area of Kaduna State, Idris Ibrahim, said:

“Yes, the kidnappers called the community through Jubril Aminu’s number and made the demand.

“They called from a hidden number but the authorities are working on getting the number,” Ibrahim said, adding that security forces were taking adequate measures to secure the release of the students.

However, there is palpable tension in the Kuriga community as the residents have been thrown into fear and despair following the demand of the bandits.

A resident who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, said the people are in a dilemma as there is no way they can possibly raise the ransom money before the deadline given by the bandits.

“After the disclosure by a community leader, Jibril Aminu, to the Kuriga people, there has been a lot of tension in Kuriga, particularly among the parents of abducted students of that particular community.

“They are in a state of trauma. They need oxygen to survive, that is the stage we can describe how they are.

“Saying that the kidnappers need N1bn, honestly speaking, it is a huge amount of money and the community does not have the money to pay. One of the parents (a woman) of the abducted students is terribly sick because her main concern is her daughter who left the house without breakfast.

“There is an apprehension among Kuriga people. They said the government has abandoned them,’’ he said.

Another resident decried what he calls the silence of the government and security agencies to the plight of the victims and their families.

He also expressed concern about those behind the abduction of the students.

“Who kidnapped these students? It is now established that ISWAP is behind the abduction of Kuriga students and teachers. Some said that those people who abducted the train passengers are responsible for this issue.

“Honestly, there is a conspiracy of silence regarding these abducted Kuriga students. Nobody, even the politicians are not talking about the abducted school children,” he noted.

Related Topics:#bandits Deadline Featured Kaduna Ransom Terrorists

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Metro

Zambia: Farmers’ union warns of uncertain future for agriculture sector

Published

16 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Small-Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) of Zambia has warned of uncertainty on the future of the agricultural sector, stating that its outlook over the next 25 years remains uncertain and gloomy.

The Executive Director of SAFADA, Boyd Moobwe, who raised the concerns in a telephone interview with Zambia Monitor on Saturday, expressed regrets that the agric sector was facing critical challenges that could hinder its contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and overall economic growth by 2030.

Moobwe admitted that the rapid changes in agriculture due to new technologies and innovations, has been slow amid the inconsistent implementation of these advancements which raises questions about the sector’s ability to survive amidst the growing threats of climate change, political instability, and economic difficulties.

The SAFADA Director pointed out that many of the problems plaguing agriculture were self-inflicted.

“The current measures for agricultural and rural financing are inadequate due to poor data analysis and utilisation,” Moobwe said.

Agriculture, he said, “had the potential to revive the economy if proper policies were introduced and if small-scale farmers were fully involved in planning and implementing agricultural projects.”

Metro

Nigeria: CSO urges President Tinubu to investigate missing funds in Humanitarian Ministry

Published

20 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A Nigerian civil society organization, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has called on President Bola Tinubu to launch an investigation into the over N57 billion that allegedly went missing in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in 2021.

The organisation, in a statement on Sunday, urged the president to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, as well as other anti-corruption agencies to commence a probe into the allegations without delay.

In the letter issued by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare and addressed to President Tinubu, the group warned against sweeping the allegations under the carpet as the Nigerian public has a right to know what happened to their money.

“The allegations amount to stealing from the poor. There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these grave allegations,” the watch dog group said.

“The allegations also suggest a grave violation of the public trust, the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended), the country’s anticorruption legislation, and international anticorruption obligations.

“Hundreds of billions of naira are also reportedly missing in other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“Poor Nigerians have continued to pay the price for the widespread and grand corruption in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviations and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

“According to the 2021 annual audited report by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, (the ministry) in 2021 failed to account for over N54 billion meant to pay monthly stipends to Batch C1 N-Power volunteers and non-graduate trainees between August and December 2021.

“The money was not directly paid to the beneficiaries. The Auditor-General is concerned that the money may have been diverted. He wants the money recovered and remitted to the treasury. He also wants suspected perpetrators of the diversion to be sanctioned in line with the Financial Regulations.

“The ministry reportedly failed to account for over N2.6 billion of public funds meant for the home-grown school feeding programme during Covid-19, as the programme was never executed. The money was allegedly paid to five contractors to procure, package and distribute Covid-19 palliatives to Kano, Zamfara and Abia states, but without any trace.

“The ministry also reportedly spent over N78 million to carry out a survey on the ministry’s Covid-19 response to states and vulnerable groups but without any approval or document.

“The ministry also reportedly failed to account for N400 million meant to pay stipends to 4,450 independent monitors for October, November, and December 2021.

“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.

“SERAP urges you to immediately enforce the judgment by Hon. Justice Deinde Isaac Dipeolu of the Federal High Court, Lagos, ordering your government to release the spending details of N729 billion by Mrs Sadia Umar-Farouk, the former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disasters Management and Social Development,” SERAP warned.