TheCable

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and faith-based organisations have asked the federal government not pay ransom to the Boko Haram sect for the release of 110 students abducted from Government Girls’ Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe state.

At a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the group comprising over 50 CSOs and NGOs said negotiating with the sect will embolden it.

The group alleged that the kidnap of the schoolgirls is a “conspiracy between some international actors and their collaborators who exist in Boko Haram plotting the disintegration of Nigeria”.

“On Monday February 19, 2018 as many as 105 students were abducted by gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists, who invaded the Government Girls’ Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State,” the group said.

“The objective is to make Nigerians to forget the labour and efforts that have been put in to extinguish terrorism from the country.

“The government must not pay any ransom for the girls’ release as we gathered that such funds would be paid to weapons supplier that are on standby to supply arms meant to revive Boko Haram.

“We urge the Nigerian military to go after the abductors while the intelligence community should work to concretely expose the links between the saboteurs undermining Nigeria.”

Last week, Joshua Lidani, senator representing Gombe south, said the country had been empowering Boko Haram insurgents by paying ransom for abducted persons.