The Commissioner of Police in Niger State, CP Monday Bala Kuryas, has announced that the 136 Tanko Salihu Islamiyya school children kidnapped in Tegina, Rafi local government will be released shortly.

This comes merely two days after the Niger State branch of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, issued a one-week deadline to the government to ensure the release of the children or face a media emergency over the issue.

A statement by Kuryas, who announced in the Mariga local government area while on a tour of duty to tactical units and special formations across safety-affected parts of the state, stated that plans have been put in place to rescue the children without harm.

He went on to say that intelligence is being gathered at the same time as the Police Department is attempting to discover the location where the children are being held captive to rescue them.

“The children will be released very soon. Intelligence is everywhere, we are doing our best in trying to locate where these children are and by the grace of God, I can assure you that efforts are being put in place, both by the state government and the security agencies to see the release of these children.”

He expressed satisfaction with the state’s security architecture, noting that the state government, as well as his predecessor, had done a commendable job in their efforts to reduce terrorism, banditry, and other criminal activities to the bare minimum. He also expressed gratitude to the people of the state for their support.

“I have checked the security architecture of the state and I intend to improve upon what my predecessor had done. The state has done a lot to see that these violent crimes are reduced to the barest minimum.

“That is why I have embarked on this tour of duty to check my tactical team and to know the terrain of the state,” he said.