The Presidency says repentant bandits helped to secure the release of over 300 schoolboys abducted from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina on December 11.
Senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity Garba Shehu said this on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily show.
He added that the most important thing was that the boys have been reunited with their parents despite varying claims by interested parties on who contributed to the release of the boys.
He said, “In all of the things that played out, we must thank God for bringing these children out. The glory also belongs to the nation. I don’t see much conflict in all of these things.
“The security services – Army, police, intelligence agencies – showed good judgement and capacity by promptly responding to the kidnap of those students and then locating exactly where they were being held.
“Having done that, they quickly mobilised and surrounded the entire place to ensure that they do not go out and they do not come in. So, whatever followed after that is to reap from the gains of what has been done.”
On whether ransom was paid to secure the release of the students, Shehu said, “All of the leading actors said no ransom was paid. The governor of Zamfara State, who had a policy of engagement with the bandits leading to the surrender and renouncement of bandits, used reformed bandits –repentant bandits – to gain access to those that were in the forest and they had them (schoolboys) released.”
