The kidnappers who abducted 39 students from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi local government area of Kaduna state have demanded ₦500 million for their release after putting out a video to prove that the students are in their custody.
At least three parents of some of the abducted students have confirmed to news correspondents that the abductors have reached out and made a demand of N500 million.
Almost simultaneously, the kidnappers have released three videos showing the students in what appeared to be a forest.
The Kaduna State Government is yet to respond to the videos and ransom demand as the state Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, did not respond to calls and text messages sent to his phone.
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However, in an interview with Channels TV, monitored by Africa Daily News, Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai dismissed the possibility of paying the ransom or negotiating with the bandits.
Investigations showed that the abducted student’s Facebook accounts were used by their abductors to release three videos showing them surrounded by gunmen in military uniforms.
Some of the students earlier rescued from the college confirmed the identities of their friends and schoolmates in the videos.
In the first footage released on Friday at 1:07 pm, through the Facebook account of one Kelvita K. Dan, the gunmen pointed at a man in a red shirt and asked him to speak. ‘My name is Abubakar Yakubu,’ he said.
‘A student of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation Kaduna. I am appealing to the Governor of Kaduna State, the state government, and Federal government,” before the 30 seconds video ended.
Kelvita appealed to the Nigerian government to come to their rescue by paying the N500 million demanded by their abductors.
However, as soon as the second and third videos were posted through the Facebook page of Tasha Sandra, some of the students earlier rescued by the military burst into tears as they pointed out their friends and schoolmates.
In the second video posted around 11:30 am on Saturday, the gunmen were seen flogging the students while they screamed and appealed to the government to come to their rescue.
‘Our life is in danger, just give them what they want,’ some of the students screamed.
Others said: ‘They should just pay the ransom and allow us to go, our parents need us.’
The third video showed a gun pointed at a man identified as Benson Emmanuel who appealed to the government to secure their release.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
