The State Government has denied hiring a private negotiator for the release of 287 students kidnapped from two public schools in the state.
Bandits abducted 287 students from LEA Primary School Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
In a statement released on Saturday by the Chief Press Secretary to the State Governor, Muhammad Lawal Shehu, denied the story.
The statement reads: “The attention of the Kaduna State Government has been drawn to an outrightly mischievous and false Punch Newspaper report stating that the Kaduna State Government has hired a private negotiator to facilitate the safe return of school children abducted in Kuriga community, Chikun Local Government of Kaduna State.
“We wish to state categorically that the Kaduna State Government did not hire any private negotiator, neither are we contemplating make such a move.
“The hiring of a private negotiator only exists in the fertile imagination of the Newspaper reporter. The Kaduna State Government has a clear policy on non-negotiation with terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements.
“We urge members of the Press to be cautious in the way they craft and publicise their stories on security in order not to jeopardize the efforts of Government and security agencies in degrading criminal elements laying siege to our communities.”