‘GSSS Kagara victims to be freed in days’

A source on the delegation of Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmed Gumi has said staff and students kidnapped from GSSS Kagara are to be released in days.

Gumi has been on a tour to visit bandit leader Dogo Gide and other top commanders at Dutsen Magaji forest for talks.

The source said Niger government, which initially ruled out payment of any ransom to secure freedom of the kidnappees, would enter a dialogue and had sent a strong delegation.

Passengers abducted earlier and the students are in good state, the source said.

During the visit, Gumi was shown an entire community said to have been razed in a military bombardment and corpses dumped in wells.

Gumi and his entourage are back in Minna, after travelling more than seven hours from Dutsen Magaji.

Earlier, another source had said the leader of one of the suspected kidnapping gangs was ready to release all their victims as soon as their demands are met.

But their requests were not made known to Gumi during the meeting in a bush in Tegina, Rafi council are of Niger, the source said.

Gumi is on a self-made volunteerism to engage the leaders of various kidnapping gangs and bandits to embrace dialogue.