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From John Adams, Minna
The Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has debunked the rumor that the abducted Students of Government Science College Kagara, Rafi local government area of the state have been release.
The Governor said no victim of the Wednesday Incident has regained freedom.
“I can say everything is being speculated or rumored about their release and we can’t work with rumours”, he stated.
It could be recalled that 42 people, made up of 27 Students, three Staff and 13 relations of the staff were abducted by heavily armed men in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Governor, while briefing newsmen at the government house in Minna on Friday on the update of the rescue mission, however said that the government is at the last stage of securing the release of the Students.
According to him, “the government is still negotiating and we are in the final and last stage of the negotiations”.
The Governor did not say with whom is the government negotiating since he had earlier vowed that the will not pay ransom for the release of any kidnapped victim.
The Governor who spoke after a closed door meeting with Sheikh Ahmad Gumi at the government house, said that the government is interfacing with local communities, state and federal authorities to ensure the release of the school children unhurt.
“We doing everything possible best to get them back safely. We don’t have anything for you for now but we will contact you once we have any information.
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On the visit of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi to the state, the Governor said that Gumi has volunteered to help in securing the release of the abducted victims, including the general insecurity situation in the state.
The Governor pointed out that “Gumi offered to assist. He came back this morning and has to leave immediately because has an engagement in Abuja. We agreed that he will send me a comprehensive memo on his findings during his visit to the bandits dean.
The Governor said that he will meet with traditional rulers and Fulani heads to discuss how to proffer solutions to the current security situations in the state, adding that “this is part of the steps being taken by government to reduce the insecurity in the state.
Meanwhile the Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has asked federal government to give the bandits in the country a ‘blanket Amnesty’ as a condition for bringing end to the insecurity in the country.
Speaking to newsmen after a closed door meeting with the Governor, Gumi said that the federal Government should extend the same Amnesty given to the Niger Delta Militants to the bandits
Gumi said he met with the Leaders of different groups of the bandits in the state, adding that “they all have their complaints but the outcome of the meeting was positive.
“The outcome is very positive because we have worrying factions. Each factions are saying they have their own complaints and Grievances which are very simple. There is hope that we can resolve these grievances.
“I appeal to government and recommend that government should do to them exactly what they did to the Niger delta militant and give them a blanket amnesty. Then if anybody will continue we will deal with him.”
He said that he met with the Bandits in his mission to ensure that there is absolute peace in the state.
“I’m here to continue my mission to see that we have absolute peace in Nigeria and try to listen to their greviances and see how we can stop this mayhem and carnage that is happening in the country.”
