Kaduna scoffs at Nigerians over alleged ransom to kidnappers�

Uba Sanni, governor of Kaduna State in Nigeria’s northern region, has scoffed at Nigerians enquiring about the alleged ransom payment to kidnappers of over 137 school children.

Sanni had announced the release of the school kids on Sunday, eliciting enquiries on whether a ransom was paid to secure their freedom.

Apparently displeased, Governor Sanni said on national television on Monday that the enquiry was ‘irrelevant’.

He said, “What is more important today is that our children are back home. Most of those permutations are not necessary. If your child is kidnapped, will you be sitting down and talking about how he was released?

“For me, what is more important is that those children are back home. Their parents are extremely happy and what is important to them is to reunite with their children.

“But some people who have no business with the situation are the ones coming out with some irresponsible permutations about whether ransom is being paid, whether someone had gone into the kinetic or non-kinetic approach. What is important to us in Kaduna is that the children are back home.”

“We tried as much as possible not to jeopardise the lives of the innocent children. Some people at some point wanted to politicize the whole incident.”

He also insisted that the school kids were not over 200, as speculated.

Some gunmen had stormed LEA Primary School and Government Secondary School, Kuriga, where the learners were abducted.