The Nigerian authorities say they are not negotiating with the kidnappers who seized dozens of female students from a university in the northwestern state of Zamfara on Friday.
However, the government was making efforts to secure the release of the students of the Federal University in Gusau, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said.
‘’For the avoidance of doubt, no official of the Federal Government is engaged in negotiation with any bandit or group of bandits. The government, however, maintains its resolve to explore every available avenue that can bring back peace to communities ravaged by banditry,’’ Idris added in the statement.
The students were the latest victims of mass kidnappings by armed gangs that have ravaged parts of Nigeria in recent years.
The twist
Authorities announced on Monday that sixteen of the hostages comprising 13 students and three construction workers had regained their freedom without giving details on how.
The story, however, took a twist when the Zamfara state governor Dauda lawal said the federal government was holding talks with the armed groups without the knowledge of the state government.
The state government decried the move, saying it was counterproductive to the government’s strategy in the fight against banditry.
However, the information minister said the federal government was working ''assiduously to turn around'' the security situation and free those being held by armed captors.
