Moses Ofodeme
Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sani-Bello, on Thursday alleged that the Federal Government has not demonstrated real commitment in the ongoing search to secure release of the abducted students and workers of Government Science College (GSC), Kagara.
The Governor stated this while receiving the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu, who was in the state to commiserate with him on Thursday.
“At the moment, we do not feel any Federal presence here. The Inspector-General of Police sent us four mobile units but we are to shoulder the financial responsibilities. So, where is the support? There is no support from anyone.
“Yes, we had a delegation (Federal Government delegation) that came to visit and commiserate with us but that was all. So, we are left to ourselves,” he said.
Bello, however, said his administration was doing all it could to secure the release of the 42 abductees, despite “their lack of support”.
He stressed that his administration would ensure the release of the “children safely with or without anyone”.
In his remarks, Kalu said the FG should have set up a command station in the state involving the office of the national security adviser, who should be monitoring the situation.
It has been over a week since the 42 students and staff of GSC, Kangara were abducted by bandits, and there has been no report of their release yet.
Although negotiations and dialogue were said to be underway, the FG and the state government have maintained that no ransom would be paid for the children’s release.
The bandits have, however, threatened to unleash terror on Kagara and the state at large if the government should fail to pay a good amount of ransom to them.