Gunmen who kidnapped 287 pupils last week at a public school in Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State have made a demand of N1 billion for the freedom of the children.
The kidnappers contacted Aminu Kuriga, a friend of the school’s principal Abubakar Isah, on Tuesday, reports Premium Times.
A resident of the area, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying: “One of the abductors called, using a private number. He said they were at the northern fringe of Dansadau (a community in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State) if we bring the amount, all the children will be released.”
The source said the Kaduna State Government has been made aware of the kidnappers’ demand.
The state government, supported by the Federal Government, has insisted it would not pay any ransom to secure the release of the schoolchildren.
The online newspaper gathered that the location where the terrorists asked the residents to deliver the ransom is part of Kwiambana Game Reserve, a forest that crosses the northwest and north-central regions.
The larger part of the forest is in Dansadau Emirate in Zamfara State.
A set of students of the Federal University Gusau, Zamfara State, abducted by suspected terrorists last September were moved to the Kwiambana Game Reserve and are yet to be released.
