The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that the armed bandits responsible for abducting pupils and teachers from schools in Oyo State threatened to kill the victims if security personnel attempted to move closer to their hideout.
Musa made the disclosure in a preview of an interview with News Central, released on Wednesday ahead of the full broadcast on the NC Exclusive programme scheduled for Friday.
According to the minister, the kidnappers are using the abducted children as bargaining tools to pressure the military into releasing some of their commanders currently in 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,” he said.
Musa’s remarks come almost eight weeks after gunmen stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School in Yawota, alongside two other schools in Esinle, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, on May 15, abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers.
Addressing efforts to tackle the growing menace of banditry and kidnapping, the defence minister advocated the death penalty for convicted offenders, arguing that inadequate punishment has encouraged 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 added.
