Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that the bandits holding pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State threatened to kill the captives if security forces attempted to rescue them.
Musa made the disclosure in a preview of an interview with News Central, released on Wednesday ahead of the full broadcast of the NC Exclusive programme scheduled for Friday.
According to the minister, the kidnappers are using the schoolchildren as bargaining chips in a bid to force the military to release some of their commanders currently in custody.
He explained that intelligence gathered by security agencies indicated that the abductors warned they would execute the children if troops advanced towards their hideout.
“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us, and they believe taking these children and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander,” Musa said.
“When we wanted to take action against them, they threatened that if we came any closer, they would kill all the children.”
The revelation comes nearly eight weeks after armed men 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.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over the growing wave of attacks on schools across the country, with anxious families continuing to hope for the safe return of their loved ones.
Speaking on efforts to tackle kidnapping and banditry, the Defence Minister argued that tougher sanctions were needed to discourage criminals. He threw his weight behind the introduction of the death penalty for convicted bandits, insisting that existing laws had failed to serve as an effective deterrent.
“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are too soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know that once an offence is committed, there will be severe punishment, it will make a difference,” he said.
Musa maintained that strengthening the nation’s legal framework, alongside sustained military operations, would play a crucial role in tackling the country’s worsening security challenges.