Sarah NEGEDU
The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has denied an online publication alleging that Principals of government owned Junior Secondary Schools were taxed N20,000 each to raise the N50 million ransom demanded by terrorists who recently kidnapped the Chairman of the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Sule Alhassan.
The FCT-UBEB boss was among the unconfirmed number of passengers who were abducted from the ill fated Abuja-Kaduna bound train that was attacked by terrorists on the 28th of March, 2022.
An online publication had alleged that principals of Junior Secondary Schools across the territory were asked to contribute N20,000 each to make up the ransom demanded by Alhassan’s abductors.
However refuting the publication, the Director Administration and Finance of the FCT Education Secretariat, Mr Abdulrazak Leramoh is insisting that the claim was completely untrue and unknown to the FCT Secretariat and the Universal Basic Education Board of the FCT and to the FCT Administration.
Leramoh, who shed more light on the incident, disclosed that the family members of the abducted Chairman of the FCT UBEB have been negotiating with the attackers to release the officer.
The Director who admitted that the secretariat is aware of the unfortunate abduction of one of its officers, explained that the FCT Education Secretariat, FCT SUBEB and the FCT Administration is not involved in any way in the negotiations for his release, stating 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 on a website named “The whistler” with headline Train Attack: Abuja School Principals levied N20,000 to raise N50m ransom for kidnapped Education Board Boss”.
“This untrue story by the writer could not clearly confirmed the purported circular which aimed 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, he explained.
He called on residents of the FCT and other well-meaning individuals to totally disregard the unfounded story even as we request everyone to join the family in prayers in this ‘Holy Month’ of Ramadan for his safe release.
