The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has disclosed that the bandits holding pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State had wanted to kill the captives if security forces advanced on their location.
Musa disclosed this in an interview with News Central, publsished on Wednesday ahead of its broadcast on the NC Exclusive programme on Friday.
Musa made these remarks nearly eight weeks after the 39 pupils and seven teachers were kidnapped from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and two other schools in Esinle, in the Oriire Local Government Area of the state, on May 15.
He said the kidnappers were using the children as a bait to secure the release of their commanders being held by the military.
“For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commander.
“And now they’re threatening when we wanted to take action against them that if we come any closer, they’re going to kill all the kids,” he said.
Musa said the death penalty being introduced were part of measures to curb banditry and kidnapping for perpetrators, adding that weak laws had emboldened criminals.
“I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage. If they know once you commit an offence, there must be punishment,” he added.
