Abducted students in Nigeria’s Kaduna state are safe: Governor

Nasir el-Rufai tells Al Jazeera the government will not pay any ransom to attackers targeting educational institutions.

The governor of the northwest Nigerian state of Kaduna says nearly 40 students kidnapped last week are “safe”, adding his government will not “negotiate with the bandits” for their release. In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera, Nasir el-Rufai said on Tuesday surveillance operations conducted by Nigeria’s armed forces indicated the 39 students abducted were in good health. “We are now involved in a waiting game,” he added, without elaborating.