The federal government on Monday, March 25, further clarified the circumstances surrounding the release of the 137 children kidnapped from the Kuriga community, Chikun council area of Kaduna state, saying no ransom was paid.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, speaking to journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, also said controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, is not above the law and could be reprimanded when making reckless comments.
Speaking about the release of the kidnap victims in Kaduna, as well as the ones in Sokoto, Idris said the council and the president had expressed their appreciation to the National Security Adviser (NSA), the security chiefs and others who participated in the process that ensured the freedom of the captives.
It would be recalled that the 137 kidnapped school children in Kuriga were released on Sunday, while the 17 Islamic school pupils kidnapped in Sokoto were released on Saturday.
The minister further assured that the federal government, under President Tinubu, will continue to see to the protection of the lives and property of Nigerians, even as he noted that those currently feasting on the gaps in the nation’s security situation and perpetrating all manners of criminal activities would soon be fished out and be made to face the wrath of the law.
“Mr President and members of Council were happy to note that, as promised by Mr. President, these children were reunited or have been rescued from the captors and as usual and in keeping with the commitment of Mr. President, no ransom was paid.
“The Federal Executive Council and Mr. President are very grateful to especially the National Security Adviser, the service chiefs and all security agents who participated diligently in ensuring that these kidnapped children are reunited with their families.
“The government is determined to ensure that the lives and property of all Nigerians are protected at all time and Mr. President has also charged security agencies to ensure that these kidnappings are brought to a halt finally in this country.
“Indeed, all those who are participating in this criminal act will be fished out by the security agencies and will never go unpunished”, he said.
Responding to a question about the exact number of children kidnapped from Kuriga, Idris said the number of those kidnapped was the exact number of people recovered as there was no information to the effect that any of them died or were held back by the kidnappers.
“There was a question that reports that 287 of these children were taken, what I can tell you is that there is no report that any of these kidnap victims either died or has been withheld, so all those that have been taken, have been brought back in safety to their families. I can tell you that”, he said.
Meanwhile, reacting to a question about the constant controversial comments and intervention by an Islamic scholar, Sheikh Gumi, Idris said he was aware that he (Gumi) had had cause to be a guest of security agents to answer questions in the past, saying the government will not hesitate to go after anyone who it believes has questions to answer, as no one is above the law.
“What I can tell you is that the government will not stop at anything to get any kind of information that it requires to solve our problems. The security agencies are and doing, Shiekh Gumi, or any other individual for that matter, is not above the law.
“If you have suggestions that are constructive enough for the security agencies to take, they will take, but if they think that he is also making some statements that appear to be reckless, he will also be reprimanded.
“There is nobody that is above the law in this regard. And I’m aware, let me put it here, that I’m aware that he has also been a guest of the security agencies to answer questions.
“When you make remarks, especially remarks that border on national security, it is incumbent on the security agencies to dig further into that, and they are doing just that. No one is above the law in this direction”, he said.