More light has been thrown into the reasons behind the kidnap of about 100 students of Federal Government College Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, by terrorists. Notorious banditry kingpin, Dogo Gide, whose group was behind the kidnap, said he abducted the pupils and their teachers to frustrate the “government” for not fulfilling its side of an agreement.
Recall that the terrorist invaded the school last year and abducted over 90 pupils and teachers. While most of the victims were rescued by the Kebbi State Government, some of them escaped from the camp.
Mr Gide, who has married off the remaining 11 girls in his camp, was speaking in a phone conversation with the spokesperson of the FGC Yauri pupils’ parents and guardians, Salim Kaoje, according to a report by Premium Times.
Mr Kaoje’s sister, Farida Kaoje, is said to be married to Mr Gide.
The terrorist, while explaining to Mr Kaoje why he insisted on collecting the N100 million ransom, said he abducted the pupils to spite the government.
He claimed that the “government” betrayed him after he played a critical role in releasing pupils abducted in Government Science College, Kagara, Niger State.
Mr Gide said he helped the “government” when some “thieves” abducted pupils from Government Science College, Kagara with the agreement that his arrested fighters would be released.
He insisted that he was betrayed because none of his fighters were released after he helped negotiate the release of the pupils.
In the 17 : 10 minutes audio listened to by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Gide said, “You…you don’t know why I abducted these pupils. Let me even tell why I abducted them in the first place. I was told to get those from Kagara (Kagara pupils) and they would release my people that were arrested. I ordered that the Kagara pupils should be released but after that they betrayed me and refused to release any of my people. They said I’m a Boko Haram member which made me angry. I decided to arrest these people and said my people must be released before I release them (FGC Yauri pupils).”
The banditry kingpin said it was some of the negotiators seeking for the release of the pupils that “spoiled” everything, prompting him now to seek ransom in millions of naira.
The security situation in the North-west and a part of the North-central regions has led to the death of hundreds of people and displacement of millions of others in over a decade.
The activities of terrorists have forced hundreds of people to flee villages in search of safety in towns, and even the neighbouring Niger Republic.
States in the North-west especially Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi and Niger in the North-central have been greatly affected by the activities of the terrorists.
