Musa: Bandits threatened to kill abducted oyo pupils if military intervened
The Minister of Defence Christopher Musa has revealed that the bandits who are responsible for the abduction of the pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State warned it would kill the hostages if security forces attempted to storm their hideout.
The victims were kidnapped on May 15 when gunmen invaded three schools in the local government area, abducting 39 pupils, seven teachers and the principal of one of the affected schools.
One of the teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed by the kidnappers while still in captivity, further heightening concerns over the safety of the remaining victims.
The incident drew widespread public condemnation, with many Nigerians taking to social media and staging protests to demand the safe return of those still being held.
Speaking during an interview on News Central Television on Wednesday, Musa said the abductors were using the schoolchildren as bargaining chips in an attempt to force the release of some of their commanders being held by the military.
“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.
“And now they’re threatening that when we want to take action against them, if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids.”
Addressing the broader security challenge, the defence minister backed the death penalty for convicted kidnappers and bandits. He argued that stronger punishment is necessary, adding that existing laws have failed to deter criminal activities.
