By Daniel Tyokua
There is uneasy calm in the Federal Capital Territory Administration over the refusal of terrorists to free the chairman (FCT) Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Alhassan Sule, since he was abducted in the last two weeks.
Sule was among those that were taken away by bandits on March 28, following the bombing of Abuja – Kaduna train.
There were media reports that principals in Junior Secondary Schools in FCT have been asked to contribute N20,000 each as part of efforts to raise N50 million ransom demanded by the terrorists.
Reacting to the report on Thursday, the Director Admin and Finance FCT Education Secretariat, Mr. Abdulrazak Leramoh said the publication was untrue and unknown to the secretariat and the Universal Basic Education Board.
Leramoh explained that currently family members of the abducted Chairman of the UBEB have been negotiating with the attackers to release the officer.
He said: “We are aware of one of our officers, who unfortunately was involved in the attack and is currently in the custody of the attackers”.
The Director stated that, FCT Education Secretariat, FCT SUBEB and the FCT Administration is not involved in any way, saying that, it is purely the affairs of the family member and friends.
According to him, ” The attention of the FCT Education Secretariat has been drawn to unconfirmed story making the round that, ‘Abuja School Principals levied N20,000 to raise N50m ransom for kidnapped Education Board Boss”.
“This is untrue, the writer could not clearly confirmed the purported circular which is to further cause pain to the family who were already devastated since the unfortunate incident and as well malign the positive image of the Education Secretariat”.
“The story as reported by the writer is untrue as the family is the link contact to the kidnappers, and they are in a better position to give further information on the matter. The Secretariat, therefore frown at such unfounded report to tarnish positive image of not only the office of the kidnapped Director, but the entire Education Secretariat of FCT Administration” Said Leramoh.
