 You're welcome back to the breakfast on Plus TV Africa. We're still continuing our conversation regarding security in Nigeria. Good news we heard yesterday that the 27 students of the Federal College of First Room Mechanisation in Afakha, Kaduna State, you know, were successfully released from bandits captivity and that, you know, they had met with their parents briefly. They had gone to the hospital for medical treatment. And, you know, we spoke to the father of one of the one of two students, you know, that were abducted. He was Mr. Friday, Sani. He was on the breakfast yesterday to shed more light on how they were released. But we now have a representative of the Kaduna State government. He is Samuel Aruan, the Commissioner for Internal Security in Kaduna State. Good morning, Mr. Aruan. Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure. All right. So first of all, congratulations to the whole of Kaduna State. It's great to see that after all the protests, all the agitation, finally, the girls are back home and are safe. But we just need to get into the details of their release. We spoke to one of the fathers of two of the students who were abducted, Mr. Friday, Sani. And he he gave us some details as to how they were released, but when very clear, according to him, no ransom was paid for their release. You know, they protested at the National Assembly, traveled all the way from Kaduna to Abuja. Great to know that the girls were released. But news reports reaching us confirmed that, you know, the Kaduna State government had allegedly paid ransom to the bandits. This was a month ago, but they did not release them until yesterday. So what really is the truth? When the government is saying they were not going to pay ransom and we're hearing news that they actually paid ransom. So what exactly is the fact, Mr. Aruan? The fact is very simple. The students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, they are out. They are mostly female and male students. They are out. And like we keep on saying, security issues are not issues that you play to the gallery just to achieve temporary goals. As a government, we are taking a stand. And our stand is based out of deep reflection and reality that we have found ourselves today. So I will not go into details. But what I want to know is we are conscious of our responsibility as a government. Security agencies are equally doing their best. Critical stakeholders are also complimenting government and security agencies effort. We wouldn't want to say something that would jeopardize or undermine efforts that are being put in place in order to secure other students, especially a student of Greenfield University, who are still in captivity and other cities. What I think is important is the students back the day before yesterday, that is Wednesday, we were to hand them over to the institution onward to their parents yesterday, Thursday. But unfortunately, they are still undergoing the medical checkups by the special support. Do that today. Mr. Arawan, unfortunately, the details regarding the release are very important for Nigerians who really need to know what exactly transpired. You know, because there's so much conflict and information regarding how the girls were released. Like I mentioned, News Reaching Us confirms that. Mr. Arawan, I need to ask you this because News confirms that one of the bandits was released in exchange for the 27 girls who were kidnapped. So we need to know did that happen or not? Well, I think there are so many people who are out there with several narratives. And you confirm to me that you actually spoke to one of the parents. Yes, we did. And I have equally explained to you here that some issues about security, considering human lives, considering the sensitivity of those issues, you don't come out and make statements that will undermine what. All right, Mr. Arawan, Mr. Arawan, don't you think? So in a nutshell, what I want to tell you is I will not give you exact details. So don't you think the people as far as community concern, what is important is the students are back? The students are back, we agree. And then the people need to know that they are safe over time, you know, in their schools, in their homes, in their farms as well. But then again, what are you doing differently to ensure that recurrences like this, you know, we don't get to see them again in a Keduna state, specifically in our schools, you know, in public and private schools, so that the students can actually go to school and, you know, get educated, which is the main reason for schooling in the first place. So what are you doing? You have in talks with your education commissioner with your security apparatus in the state. What exactly is being done right now in as much as this student, you know, from Afarka, have been, you know, released? Well, immediately after the incident in neighboring states, we are hundreds of students were abducted from their schools. Keduna state government along with security agencies carried out vulnerability assessment of schools. Especially schools that are situated in flashpoint locations. And immediately students from a flashpoint were redistributed to schools that are situated in locations that we consider to be more safe. This is one of the decisions that the government took. Alongside with security agencies. Furthermore, we also raise the consciousness of communities where schools are located at the need for them to be vigilant. And there are other measures that government and security agencies took that I wouldn't want to talk about in here. But you wish to know that there were attempts that were filed in some locations across the state, which was a byproduct of the security consciousness or response team that government puts on the ground. Mr. Arawan, I need to ask you, Mr. Arawan. Apologies to interject, Mr. Arawan. I need to ask this very important question. What value or how much value does the Keduna state government place on the lives of her citizens, especially its students? The primary responsibility of any government, including Keduna state government, is security of life and property. And when you see what we are doing on the ground, that's clearly answer your question. If you take a look at what is happening along the Keduna region, you look at the Benongali belt. You also look at the ongoing operations by the military and police. It's a clear demonstration that a Keduna state government is committed to protecting the citizens. It is not even the question that the usual ask, because government is here to ensure security and to also ensure law and order. But I think part of the problem is the fact that you are looking at this thing within the context of what is happening now. You have to look at these issues beyond now. You have to look at origin. You have to look at the immediate and remote causes and other factors that have come into play. Accumulated factors that have made things to be the way they are. OK, Mr. Arawan. So certainly we place a lot of premium on the human life. OK, so Mr. Arawan, if as the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Keduna state, you say that the Keduna state government places a premium on the lives of Nigerians. Could you please explain to me the statement made by Erufei, the governor of Keduna state. He says that we were going to attack them and by them he means the bandits. The bandits that had captured the students at the Federal College of First Re-Mechanisation in Keduna since March 11th. He said we are going to attack them. We would lose a few students, but we will kill all the bandits and recover some of our students. That was our plan. Nassim Erufei went to say we know it's risky. We will lose some of the students, but the students will be collateral damage in war and will not pay money. So how do you explain the plan? Where did the governor, what is his thoughts? He made this statement on Thursday during a webinar of African leadership. This was a webinar of the African leadership group that Erufei attended yesterday, Thursday. So he mentioned that. I remember in Tuaigodalo yesterday. Yes, he mentioned that they were going to bombard the terrorists and hide out. Some students would die, but that this would just collateral damage. So how do we explain the premium place on their lives with the government, you know, bargaining that they would die, but that's collateral damage as long as we rescue some other students? Whether you see your question, your question and from your post, revolves around what we consider politicisation of security challenge or issue. It's not politics. Mr. Arawan, it's the statement he made. I'm presenting to you. That's what it is, simply. I am listening to you. OK, go ahead. Go ahead. We can hear you. You should also listen to me. Your question is basically what I consider politicisation of security challenge that we are battling with. I take exception to you challenging the position of Kuduna State's government with doubting that the government does not place a premium. No, it's a question, Mr. Arawan. This was, Mr. Arawan, not talking. Mr. Arawan, this was a class statement. This was a class statement by the governor yesterday. I said, yeah, I said, I said, I take exception to that. OK, but how is it political now? Excuse me, I have listened to you. I have listened to you. You should allow. You should also be polite enough to listen to me. OK, sorry about that. Go ahead. You should not listen to me. What I am trying to tell you is this. What do you say, what do you credit to the governor to have said? Does that undermine the sanctity of human life that Kuduna State government plays? No. In situation like this, if the military or police carry out an action like this, definitely, you know, there's going to be a collateral. Certainly, it's there. But then, when you are taking action, you also govern, also consider the lives that are involved. This is what I want you to know. And if you see what we are doing from January 1st to March to March 2021, military and police neutralize 64 bandits on the ground, apart from multiple spots of bandits that were neutralized via air interdictions. 36 EK47 raffles were equally recovered by security agencies. And almost 2,000 rounds of life ammunition were also recovered. You also have to look at dozens of citizens that were equally rescued. And again, there are a series of bandit camps that were destroyed by military and the police. So all these things are demonstrations that a government plays premium on the human life. And I have argued here that the very existence of raffles is to ensure security and also ensure that there is law and order. All right. All right, Mr. Aruan, I just need to get an update concerning the issue with the Greenfield. What's the position right now? What is government doing specifically to ensure their safe release? Is government going to follow the same style from what we read as regards the AFACA? It was done with extra-governmental interventions of the former president, Alusia Babasunjo and Sheikh Gumi. Are we going to follow that particular route this time around for the Greenfield students? Well, Karuna State government is on its feet, trying all that it can. And I'm not going to sit down here and give you this blow-by-blow to give you an account of what government is doing or what security agencies are doing. What I can tell you is government and security agencies are on their feet. All right, thank you, Mr. Samuel Aruan. So, Mr. Samuel Aruan, it's unfortunate that we're having a representative from Karuna State who Nigerians are listening and expecting to get details of the Karuna kidnap. But it's unfortunate that you refuse to tell us if ransom was paid and if a bandits was released in exchange for the kidnapping. You should be kind to Karuna State government. You want news. We want to save lives. But can you answer the question that the Karuna State government pay ransom? Excuse me, I can just speak to you here and undermine what we want to save lives. But could you tell us yes or no? Mr. Aruan, yes or no? That the government pay ransom? That the government release a bandits? I have clearly told you that we are happy that the students are back and we're ready for... All right, thank you, Mr. Samuel Aruan, for your time. All right, thank you so much, Mr. Samuel Aruan. Thank you so much for your time. We do appreciate all that you have said so far. We've been looking at the release of the Afarka student which happened on Wednesday and we were joined by the State Commissioner for Security and Internal Affairs. Thank you so much. All right, so we'll go on the show, break now our return to continue this conversation regarding abduction of schoolgirls in Nigeria and what the government is doing about it. Do stay with us.