Abducted Kaduna students beg as bandits release video, demand N500m ransom
- The bandits who kidnapped some students in Kaduna state have finally reached out for ransom
- In some videos allegedly posted via the Facebook accounts of their victims, the bandits demanded N500 million ransom
- Meanwhile, the Kaduna state government had earlier ruled out ransom payment or any form of negotiation
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The bandits who abducted 39 students from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Kaduna state have demanded N500 million for their release.
Daily Trust reports that three parents of some of the abducted students have confirmed that the abductors have reached out and made a demand of N500 million for their release.
The newspaper added that the kidnappers have released three videos showing the students in what appeared to be a forest area.
Source: Getty Images
It was gathered that the bandits used the Facebook accounts of the abducted students to release three videos.
The videos reportedly show the students surrounded by gunmen in military uniform flogging them.
Some of the students earlier rescued from the college identified their friends and schoolmates from the videos, Daily Trust stated.
The students through a video posted via the Facebook account of one Kelvita K. Dan appealed to the Nigerian government to come to their rescue by paying the N500 million demanded by their abductors.
One female student was reported to have begged the Nigerian government not to send soldiers to rescue them, saying that the bandits have threatened them that none of them will be released if soldiers come after them (the bandits).
However, the Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, had in an earlier interview ruled out the possibility of paying a ransom or negotiating with the bandits.
Legit.ng previously reported that the Kaduna state government confirmed that no fewer than 39 students are still missing after a group of armed bandits stormed their school in the northern state on Friday, March 12.
The state's commissioner for internal security and home affairs, Samuel Aruwan, revealed this information in a statement on Friday night.
According to Aruwan, 39 students, both male and female, of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka are yet to return home or to the school.
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In a similar development, an attempt to abduct students of Turkish International Secondary School, Rigachikun, Kaduna, has been foiled by troops of 1 Division in the state, the Nigerian Army confirmed.
Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, director of army public relations made the disclosure in a statement on Friday, March 12.
According to Yerima, the school was protected by troops when bandits headed to the Federal School of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Igabi LGA of the state.
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Nurudeen Lawal is a Legit.ng journalist passionate about fact-checking/verification journalism. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature-in-English from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. As Politics Editor, Nurudeen mostly writes on Nigeria’s political and socio-economic developments. He has attended different workshops, conferences and training on fact-checking and digital reporting, among others. Learn more about him on Twitter, @Nurudeen Lawal_
Source: Legit.ng
