The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that bandits holding pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oyo State threatened to kill the victims if security forces attempted to rescue them.

Speaking in a preview of an interview with News Central, Musa said the kidnappers were using the children as bargaining chips to demand the release of some of their commanders currently in military custody. According to him, the bandits warned they would kill all the captives if troops advanced on their location.

The minister also backed the death penalty for bandits and kidnappers, arguing that weak laws have emboldened criminals. His comments come nearly eight weeks after 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.