Parents and management of the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, are presently mourning the loss of three of their children, who the bandits said have died while in their custody.
It will be recalled that the Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School students were abducted in their school in Tegina, Rafi LGA of Niger State two months ago.
The dead children are said to be girls, while the bandits said some others are currently seriously ill.
It was gathered that the bandits broke the sad news to some of the parents in a telephone conversation but refused to give their names.
This was also disclosed by the Chief Imam of Tegina after one of the regular Muslim prayers in Tegina.
The deceased children, it was further gathered, have been buried, while the bandits promised the parents they would send the videos of the burial of the children.
However, the government has denied any knowledge that children died in custody of the bandits, saying it may be a ploy to make the parents raise the N30 ransom quickly.
The Secretary to the Niger State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Matane, said “I’m not aware that three of the girls have died. You know the bandits can be very deceptive. They raise a lot of emotions and sentiments so that we will accept their bidding.”
In a related development, some individuals in Shiroro LGA have claimed they saw some of the abducted Islamiyya children being moved by the bandits into the Allawa Forest.
A statement by the President of Lakpma Youth Assembly, Jibrin Allawa, drew the attention of the government to the fact that the locals had noticed the movement of the bandits carrying the school children around the Lakpma axis of Shiroro LGA.
“Our attention was drawn by our locals that the criminals crossed Maganda Junction along Allawa Pandogari Road; unfortunately, one Jamilu Madaki Kurmi was caught witnessing the movement and was shot in his hand.
“He confirmed to have seen some of the malnourished Islamiyya school children on the bikes of their captors on Sunday night.”
The group called on security agencies to begin their search for the children, saying it isTh important to halt the death of some of the children.
