Popular Islamic scholar, Ahmad Gumi, has said the bandits he met in Niger State are not responsible for the abduction of 27 students of Government Science College, GSC, in Kagara.
Gumi said the bandits told me they had no hands in the abduction of the students.
Speaking with ThisDay, the Islamic scholar also distanced himself from any form of negotiation with bandits.
Gumi said his meetings with bandits was to dissuade them from crime and ensure peace.
He said: “I am not part of any negotiations. We just met some of these militants in Niger State, trying to dissuade them from their militancy.
“We asked them the bandits about what happened and they said they know the group that abducted the bus and they said they will intercede and see that they are released.
“But for the (school) children, they said they didn’t know who did it because it was too early for them to know. Those groups we met may be having problems with a splinter group.
“The people I met with are not the ones who abducted the students.”
Bandits had last week Wednesday abducted students at GSC Kagara in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
41 persons most of whom are students and staff of the school were abducted.
Shortly after the abduction, Gumi had met with the bandits.
Kagara kidnap: Bandits I met didn’t kidnap Niger students – Sheikh Gumi
