APGA chieftain: APC politician offered bandits N57m to sabotage release of Jangebe girls

Abdullahi Shinkafi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Zamfara, has alleged that a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state offered N57m to bandits in order to sabotage the release of the Jangebe schoolgirls.

Shinkafi said this in an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday.

He said hours after the kidnap of the girls, the APC in the state showed no sympathy concerning the abduction.

He said mediators negotiating the release of the girls claimed the bandits were offered money by APC politicians to sabotage the release of the schoolgirls.

“Just a few hours after the abduction of the schoolgirls, an APC membership registration was done. After the member was registered, there was a serious rally when he received his party membership card. There was no sign of sympathy from the part of APC as a party,” he said.

“From those who mediate on the negotiation of the release of the abducted girls, the bandits made mention that from the APC, strong politicians in Zamfara state had offered them N57m to sabotage the release of the abducted innocent girls. It is very unfortunate and there is substantial evidence to link them up with it because you cannot celebrate when the state is in sorrow.”

Responding to the allegation, Lawan Liman, chairman, caretaker committee of the APC in Zamfara, who was also being interviewed by the station, asked Shinkafi to mention the names of those involved.

He described the allegation as a careless statement, adding that the party will take serious action against it.

“This claim is a careless statement that I expected Abdullahi Shinkafi to mention names. You cannot just come to a national TV and make accusations. Why can’t you mention names,” he said.

“This is a serious matter which we have called for several times that this issue should not be politicised because APC being the strongest political party in Zamfara state has always been advising.

“We will take serious action against it and we want you to come out and mention names. We will never be part of this.”

Suspected bandits attacked the Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe in Talata Mafara LGA, on February 26 and kidnapped hundreds of students.

They were, however, released on March 2.

Bello Matawalle, while announcing the release of the girls, had said some persons offered the bandits money to keep them in captivity.

But he did not disclose their names.