Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani has said the Kaduna-based Muslim cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, was not involved in the safe return of abducted Kuriga pupils, though the cleric had offered to negotiate with bandits for the release of the pupils.
The governor, who stated this on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme, said all the 137 schoolchildren abducted on March 7, 2024 from the Chikun Local Government Area of the state by marauding bandits have been rescued by the military in collaboration with local authorities from neighbouring Zamfara State, where the hostages were moved by their kidnappers.
The governor described as speculations, talks in some quarters that ransom was paid, stressing that Gumi was not involved in the rescue of the pupils.
Sani said, “All those speculations you are hearing today are figment of some people’s imagination. I can tell you that without any fear of contradiction. There was nothing like Gumi in this operation. I can tell you. I won’t undermine the efforts of our Armed Forces.”
The governor also said contrary to reports, 137 schoolchildren, and not 287 schoolchildren, were abducted from the LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Kuriga, about four weeks ago.
Sani regreted that a teacher who was kidnapped alongside the pupils couldn’t make it out alive as he developed some complications while in captivity. He commiserated with the family of the deceased teacher and consoled the families of the released schoolchildren.