The Tanko Salihu Islamic School, Tegina, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, said it has sold part of its land to raise the N50 million ransom that was paid to the bandits that kidnapped 136 of its students from the school.
Parents of the students, who had spent 79 days in captivity as at Wednesday, meanwhile are lamenting that they had exhausted every available means to get the children released from kidnappers’ den.
A source from Tegina, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told PUNCH that part of the school land was sold to raise the initial money paid to the bandits to release the children.
He added, “After paying N50m ransom in two batches, the kidnappers insisted on collecting additional N20m and six motorcycles which will cost another N3m.
“A part of the school land was sold to raise the N50m paid,” said the source.
He lamented that informants contributed to the continued stay of the children with the kidnappers, saying they were keeping the bandits abreast of developments among the parents.
He said: “The first time the honourable representing our area came on a sympathy visit to the parents, he gave us N1m. Immediately he left, the abductors called to tell us how much he dropped.
“Also, when the Director General of the state Emergency Management Agency came, the abductors did the same thing, but we cannot identify anyone who could be doing that.”
Confirming the development, meanwhile, Senator Shehu Sani said the management of the school is contemplating selling off the school to pay the ransom.
Taking to his Twitter handle, @ShehuSani, he tweeted:
“It’s sad to hear that the management of the Tegina School are contemplating selling off the school to pay ransom for the kidnapped students.”