President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government will see to it that all those kidnapped are safe and alive and that his government objective is to get all the school hostages safe, alive and unharmed.

The President reacting to the recent kidnaping of  317 female students of the Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara said that Nigeria will not succumb to blackmail by bandits and criminals who target innocent school students in the expectation of huge ransom payments.

He also warned that his government’s restraint for the humanitarian goals of protecting innocent lives should not be mistaken as a weakness or a sign of fear or irresolution.

According to Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President(Media & Publicity) Buhari said that Nigeria has the capacity to deploy massive force against the bandits in the villages where they operate, but the limitation is the fear of heavy casualties of innocent villagers and hostages who might be used as human shields by the bandits.

Our primary objective is to get all the school hostages safe, alive and unharmed.

Breaking: Zamfara confirms abduction of female students

Let bandits, kidnappers and terrorists not entertain any illusions that they are more powerful than the government. They shouldn’t mistake our restraint for the humanitarian goals of protecting innocent lives as a weakness or a sign of fear or irresolution.

Let me say this again: We will not succumb to blackmail by bandits and criminals who target innocent school students in the expectation of huge ransom payments.

State Governments must review their policy of rewarding bandits with money and vehicles. Such a policy has the potential to backfire with disastrous consequences. States and Local Governments must also play their part by being proactive in improving security in & around schools.