The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that bandits holding pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State threatened to kill the captives if security forces attempted to storm their hideout.
Musa made the disclosure in a preview of an interview with News Central, released on Wednesday ahead of its broadcast on the network’s NC Exclusive programme scheduled for Friday.
According to the Defence Minister, the abductors are using the schoolchildren as bargaining chips to pressure the government into releasing some of their commanders currently in military custody.
“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander,” Musa said.
The minister’s comments provide fresh insight into the motives behind the abduction, suggesting that the kidnappers are seeking to negotiate the freedom of detained insurgent leaders through the continued captivity of the pupils and teachers.
