Six of the 136 students kidnapped from an Islamic school in the north-central Nigerian state of Niger have died of illness, the school principal told Reuters.
The abductors have demanded a ransom to release the students, kidnapped in May after an armed gang on motorcycles attacked the school. This is coming after a video was released last week, where students kidnapped in Zamfara pleaded that government should come to their aid, as the bandits have threatened to kill them if ransom is not paid on time.
The principal, Abubakar Garba Alhasan, said the kidnappers had called to say the children died from sickness and to urge that the ransom demand be met.
Abubakar Adam, whose seven children are held by the gang, said the abductors called the principal to demand a ransom.
