In its efforts to free the students and workers of Government Science College, Kagara from the captivity of bandits, Niger State government officials and their counterparts from Zamfara reportedly met with the criminals on Thursday, it was learnt.
The students and workers of GSC were abducted on Wednesday after some bandits stormed their school around 2:pm on Wednesday, February 17.
However, it was gathered that the officials from Niger and Zamfara states met some bandits at Dutsin Magaji of Kotonkoro forest in the Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, where the abductees are being kept captive, in efforts to secure their freedom.
The Kotonkoro forest is said to be bordered by four states Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger and Kaduna.
It was further leant that Ahmad Gumi, a popular Kaduna-based cleric, also on Thursday met some bandits in Niger State as part of moves to rescue the students.
Gumi, who recently called on the federal government to grant amnesty to bandits like it did to Niger Delta militants, reportedly met with the bandits in a forest between Tegina in Niger State and Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State.
These unconfirmed reports are coming as Niger State government continue to maintain its ground never to negotiate with bandits or criminals.
On Thursday, the State House of Assembly said Niger government would under no circumstance enter into any negotiation with bandits.
