Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina state has stated that the state paid no ransom before 344 abducted students of Government Secondary School, Kankara were released on Thursday night.
Masari in an interview with DWTV Hausa at 10pm on Thursday, said no ransom was paid before the boys were released.
When asked if ransom was paid before the release of the boys, he said, “We did not pay ransom to the kidnappers, it was purely negotiation.”
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Explaning how the boys were released, “One hour ago, Nigerian soldiers and government officials that were involved in the negotiation for the release of the kidnapped schoolboys have told us that the whole school children have been released, 344 of them.
“Those involved in the negotiation include my adviser, some top military and police operatives, members of Miyetti Allah; (they) where all involved in the negotiation.”
He also said those who kidnapped the boys were not Boko Haram.“They are bandits who kidnapped the schoolboys, not Boko Haram.”
Recall that the gunmen suspected to be bandits abducted the students last Friday night from their school’s hostel in a Gestapo-like action.
