The Ministrer of Defence, Christopher Musa, has disclosed that gunmen who abducted dozens of pupils and teachers from schools in Oyo State threatened to execute the victims if security forces launched a rescue operation against them.
Musa made the disclosure in a teaser for an interview with News Central released on Wednesday, ahead of the full programme scheduled for broadcast on Friday.
According to him, the kidnappers are holding the children to pressure the military into releasing some of their commanders currently in custody.
He explained that attempts by security agencies to close in on the criminals were met with threats that the captives would be killed if troops advanced any further.
The minister said the abductors believed keeping the schoolchildren hostage would give them an advantage in negotiating the release of their detained leaders.
The incident followed the abduction of 39 pupils and seven teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, as well as two other schools in Esinle, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, on May 15.
Musa also renewed his call for stiffer punishment for kidnappers and bandits, expressing support for the death penalty as a way of discouraging violent crimes.
He maintained that the country’s legal framework had failed to serve as an effective deterrent, arguing that criminals had become emboldened because punishments were not severe enough.
The minister stressed that firm and certain sanctions against offenders would help strengthen the fight against kidnapping and other security threats across the country.