The bandits who abducted students and teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and two other schools in Esinle, in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, on May 15, have threatened to kill the captives if security forces advanced on their location.
Penpushing reports that the Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, disclosed this in a preview clip of an interview with News Central, shared on Wednesday, adding that the bandits were using the children as leverage to secure the release of their commanders 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’, he said.
Penpushing further reports that Musa on measures to curb banditry and kidnapping, supported the death penalty for perpetrators, pointing out that weak laws had emboldened criminals.
“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.
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