BANDITS THREATEN TO KILL ABDUCTED OYO PUPILS IF TROOPS ADVANCE, DEFENCE MINISTER REVEALS
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
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 moved closer to their hideout.
Musa made the disclosure in a preview of an interview with News Central, shared on Wednesday ahead of its broadcast on the station’s NC Exclusive programme scheduled for Friday.
According to the minister, the abductors are using the schoolchildren as bargaining chips to demand the release of 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.
“And now they’re threatening when we wanted to take action against them that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” Musa said.
The minister’s comments come nearly eight weeks after gunmen abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and two other schools in Esinle, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, on May 15.
Speaking on efforts to curb the rising cases of kidnapping and banditry, Musa advocated the death penalty for convicted perpetrators, arguing that the country’s existing laws are not stringent enough to deter criminal activities.
“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he said.
The Defence Minister maintained that stronger punitive measures would serve as a deterrent and strengthen the fight against kidnapping, banditry and other violent crimes across the country.
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