The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has disclosed that the country got foreign help to secure the release of the 344 abducted schoolboys from Kankara, katsina state. The boys regained their freedom on Thursday night after spending nearly a week in captivity. During the press conference in Abuja today, he revealed that there was a foreign collaboration in the negotiation of the Kankara school boys. He said, “As to whether there was foreign collaboration, don’t forget I said that we thank all patriotic Nigerians and all friends of Nigeria” The Minister said.
However, Mr. Mohammed did not disclose how the foreigners intervened in the matter as to the rescue of the school boys.
The minister disclosed that against the insinuation that ransom was paid, he dismissed the claim saying, “Our security and intelligence agencies were completely on top of the situation.”
According to Mohammed, “there is nowhere in the world that they don’t negotiate with terrorists”, especially when there is a need to save lives.
Reacting to whether the boys were kidnapped by the terrorist, the Minister insisted that the boys were kidnapped by bandits but not Boko Haram as being speculated.
He said the claim by the Boko haram to the kidnap has exposed how the terrorist has been decimated to an extent of claiming glory to what they did not partake in it.
The Minister said, “Boko Haram was seeking relevance by trying to appropriate to themselves the work of bandits.
“A lot of fake videos were being sent out by Boko Haram to create the impression that they did it.
He said the Boko Haram is struggling to still prove that they are relevant while they are not; this is a clear attempt to pretend they still have potential force.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mohammed dismissed the claim by some people that President Buhari had less concern on the matter. He said that was not true.
He chided those who were happy that President Buhari did not visit Kankara since the incident occurs despite being in Katsina for a vocation.
He revealed that the President himself coordinated the rescue operation contrary to peoples thinking.
