Kaduna State Government has debunked media reports alleging that it hired a private negotiator to facilitate the safe return of children abducted from Kuriga community on Thursday as false and mischievous.
Recalled that bandits had attacked the community located on the Kaduna Birnin-Gwari Road, abducted 100 pupils including the head teacher in a primary school and took away 187 students from a secondary school.
Reacting to the alleged report in a statement on Saturday, Mr Muhammad Shehu, media aide to Governor Uba Sani, said the Kaduna State Government has a clear policy on non-negotiation with terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.
He said: “The attention of Kaduna State Government has been drawn to the outright mischievous and false report by a newspaper on Saturday.
“The report stated that the state government has hired a private negotiator to facilitate the safe return of school children abducted in Kuriga community in Chikun Local Government Area.
“We wish to state categorically that the Kaduna State Government did not hire any private negotiator; neither is it contemplating to make such move.
“The Kaduna State Government has a clear policy on non-negotiation with terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.
“We urge the press to be cautious in the way they craft their stories on security matters so as not to jeopardise government’s efforts at degrading criminals laying siege to our communities,’’ Shehu added.