The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that the bandits holding abducted pupils and teachers from Oyo State have threatened to kill the captives if security forces move closer to their hideout, saying the kidnappers are using the victims as bargaining chips to secure the release of their commanders in military custody.
Musa disclosed this in a preview of an interview with News Central, released on Wednesday ahead of the programme’s full broadcast on Friday.
According to the minister, intelligence gathered by security agencies indicates that the abductors are demanding the release of some of their senior members currently 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.
He added that the security forces had been forced to exercise caution after the bandits threatened to execute the captives if troops attempted a rescue operation.
“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 stated.
The minister’s comments come almost eight weeks after armed men abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, alongside two other schools in Esinle, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, during coordinated attacks on May 15.
The prolonged captivity of the victims has heightened public concern and renewed calls for intensified efforts to secure their release.
Speaking on broader efforts to combat banditry and kidnapping across the country, Musa advocated tougher penalties for offenders, including the death penalty, arguing that the current legal framework has failed to deter violent 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 said.
Nigeria has continued to grapple with rising cases of kidnapping, banditry and terrorism, particularly in the North-West, North-Central and parts of the South-West, where criminal groups have increasingly targeted schools, communities and major highways.
Although security agencies have intensified military operations against armed groups, authorities have repeatedly faced difficult decisions in rescue operations involving children and other vulnerable victims, amid fears that aggressive interventions could endanger lives.
The Federal Government has maintained that it remains committed to securing the release of all abducted persons while sustaining military offensives against criminal groups across the country.