Jangebe Abduction: FG Can’t Hide Payment Of Ransom From Nigerians – Presidency

The presidency has said the federal government will carry Nigerians along on steps being taken to secure the freedom of the 317 students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara state.

Speaking when he featured on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, on Monday, Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, says Nigerians will definitely be informed if there’s any ransom.

The controversial presidential spokesperson also said that President Muhammadu Buhari Will go all out and do whatever it takes without –without undermining the sovereignty of the country – to ensure the schoolgirls are released.

Recall that, gunmen attacked the school located at Talata-Mafara local government area of Zamfara state, and abducted 317 schoolgirls.

This is the third abduction of schoolchildren in the northern part of the country in the past three months.

Responding to questions on the tactics being used  by the federal government to facilitate the freedom of schoolchildren, Adesina said the president takes each situation according to its peculiarities.

“Each card is on the table; each situation is taken according to its own peculiarities. There are situations in which there will be dialogue; there are situations in which there will be negotiations,” he said.

“If ransom was paid, it will tell the country that ransom was paid, and if it is not paid, it would also say so.

“If there was payment, it would be disclosed. That is what I’m saying, and if there was payment, it will not be my duty, because I speak for the president.

“The president will not be the one to pay the ransom,. The agencies that would pay the ransom have spokesmen, who can confirm or deny if ransoms were paid.”

When asked about how soon to expect the release of the schoolgirls, he said “at the shortest possible time”.

Adesina also said it is important for Nigerians to understand that security is everybody’s business.

“It would be very wrong to say security is the sole prerogative of the president. We have the mindset that everything about security is the duty of the president; that can only be wrong. To say that is the sole responsibility, sole business, sole prerogative would be very wrong. Everybody is part of the security architecture,” he said.