BREAKING: Bandits Finally Release 27 Abducted Forestry Students in Kaduna

BREAKING: Bandits Finally Release 27 Abducted Forestry Students in Kaduna

- After over 50 days in captivity, the students of the forestry college have finally regained freedom

- An unnamed source claimed that a dialogue committee set up by Sheikh Gumi and supported by ex-President Obasanjo facilitated the students' release

- There are, however, conflicting media reports regarding the number of the released students; some put it at 27, others 29

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The abducted students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna state, have finally regained freedom after over 50 gruelling days, according to a Daily Trust report.

The newspaper stated that one of the persons who received the students numbering 27 confirmed the development.

Afaka Kidnap: 27 Kaduna Forestry College Students Finally Released
Parents of the abducted students from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization in Kaduna walk towards the National Assembly during a protest in Abuja on May 4, 2021. Photo credit: KOLA SULAIMON
Source: Getty Images

He said the release was facilitated by the Sheikh Abubakar Gumi dialogue committee with support from former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Legit.ng gathers that the students were among the 37 abducted almost two months ago.

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Please don’t kill our children, parents of abducted Greenfield university students beg bandits

Recall that the bandits had earlier released 10 of the victims after alleged payment of ransom by parents and the school management.

However, in its report of the latest incident, Channels TV put the number of the released students at 29.

The news media stated that Abdullahi Usman who is the chairman of the Parents’ Committee, confirmed the release of the students by the bandits on Wednesday, May 5, in Kaduna.

He explained that the victims were released some minutes past 4pm around the Kidanda area in Giwa local government area of the state, adding that they were on their way back to the state capital.

Usman, however, refused to disclose the amount paid as ransom to the bandits for the release of the students.

Legit.ng recalls that the bandits had initially demanded a N500 million ransom from the Kaduna state government.

However, Governor Nasir El-Rufai ruled out the option of negotiation, saying the bandits deserve to be killed.

Read also

Presidency gives update about plans to rescue abducted Greenfield University students

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In another related development, Sheik Gumi, on Tuesday, May 4 urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pay the N100million ransom being demanded by the kidnappers of Greenfield University students in Kaduna state.

Gumi who has been at the forefront of championing amnesty for the terrorists said the federal government must not take the threat by the kidnappers lightly.

The Islamic cleric was reacting to the comments of a parent of one of the abductees who lamented that the kidnappers were insisting on a ransom of N100million before their wards are safely released to them.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Nurudeen Lawal avatar

Nurudeen Lawal (Head of Politics and Current Affairs Desk) Nurudeen Lawal is an AFP-certified journalist with a wealth of experience spanning over 8 years. He received his B/Arts degree in Literature-in-English from OAU. Lawal is the Head of the Politics/CA Desk at Legit.ng, where he applies his expertise to provide incisive coverage of events. He was named the Political Desk Head of the Year (Nigeria Media Nite-Out Award 2023). He is also a certified fact-checker (Dubawa fellowship, 2020). Contact him at lawal.nurudeen@corp.legit.ng or +2347057737768.

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