Another 32 students of Bethel Baptist School in Kaduna State have regained freedom from bandits after spending 52 days in captivity.
This was disclosed yesterday by the Vice President, Christian Association of Nigeria (19 Northern States and Abuja) and chairman of CAN in Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Hayab.
However, 31 others are still held hostage as the total number of students that have been freed are now 90.
He said, “This (Friday) evening, 32 of the students were released. We expected more of that figure. We had been on it since yesterday (Thursday). They have been reunited with their parents and they are taking them straight to the hospital for treatment. No time to waste.”
Hayab had earlier said that the negotiator was working hard to ensure that the kidnappers released more students than they did last week.
He said, “The challenge is that the bandits do not release the children because their parents paid any amount. After all, we have one negotiator and when any amount is given to bandits, they release the number of children they deem fit. All the students released so far are junior students who are weak and vulnerable. None of the senior school students kidnapped has been released.
“CAN Kaduna State is simply crying out to spirited Nigerians to come to our rescue in whatever way to help get our children back home. The trauma parents of these children are going through is not good for their physical and mental health. The worst is how the children are faring in this rainy season. Those who were released came back home very sick and weak, suggesting that those not back may be in a more severe situation.”
Reports claim the parents had paid a fresh N24m ransom after the initial N50m collected by the bandits.
It was learnt that each student’s parents were asked to contribute an additional N300,000 to raise the fresh ransom after contributing N500,000 each for the first ransom.
A total of 121 students were abducted from their hostels by bandits on July 5 but some of them later escaped.
The kidnappers who initially demanded N100m ransom reduced it to N60m after a series of negotiations. The police also claimed to have rescued two students in the Rijanna area along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.
A few days later, parents reportedly contributed money to buy foodstuffs for the abductors who demanded 30 bags of rice, 20 bags of beans and 10 kegs of palm oil.
After allegedly collecting N50m ransom, the bandits released 28 students on July 25 and promised to release the remaining 90 in batches. They also jerked up the ransom to N80m.
