Defence Minister Christopher Musa says the armed men holding pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State threatened to kill the captives if troops moved closer to rescue them.
Musa said the kidnappers were using the children as leverage because some of their commanders are in military custody.
Vanguard and Punch both reported the minister’s comments from a preview of an interview with News Central ahead of its full broadcast on Friday.
The minister said the kidnappers believed holding the pupils and teachers could pressure the government into releasing their commanders. He said they threatened to kill the captives if security forces advanced on their location.
The update comes nearly eight weeks after gunmen abducted 39 pupils and seven teachers from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and two other schools in Esinle, Oriire Local Government Area, on May 15.
Musa also backed tougher punishment for kidnappers and terrorists, including the death penalty, saying weak laws had encouraged violent crime.
He said the military was still working to recover the captives, but did not announce a rescue date or give fresh details on the current location of the abductors.
Sources: Vanguard, Punch
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