TheCable

The Kaduna state government has denied reports that it has hired a private negotiator to facilitate the return of school children abducted in Kuriga community, Chikun LGA.

“We wish to state categorically that the Kaduna State Government did not hire any private negotiator, neither are we contemplating make such a move… The Kaduna State Government has a clear policy on non-negotiation with terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements,” Muhammad Lawal Shehu, chief press secretary to Uba Sani, the state governor, said in a statement on Saturday.

“We urge members of the Press to be cautious in the way they craft and publicise their stories on security in order not to jeopardize the efforts of Government and security agencies in degrading criminal elements laying siege to our communities.”

On Thursday, Sani Abdullahi, a teacher at the Government Secondary School, Kuriga, said 287 students went missing after bandits attacked the community in the morning.

Abdullahi, who spoke when Sani visited the community after the incident, said bandits invaded the primary and secondary schools at about 8am.

The teacher said a member of the Kaduna State Vigilante Service (KADVS) was killed by the bandits when he attempted to confront them.

“At GSS Kuriga, 187 students are presently missing. In the primary school, 125 pupils were initially missing, but, 25 of them escaped and returned home,” Abdullahi told the governor.