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Greenfield University: We paid N180m to free our children – Parents

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Greenfield University: We paid N180m to free our children – Parents

 

The parents of abducted students of Greenfield University, Kaduna, said they paid N180 million to bandits who kidnapped their children before they were released to them.

Fourteen students of Greenfield University who were abducted from the school about 40 days ago were released by the bandits Saturday afternoon, according to reports.

The 14 students were among 22 students and staff of the university abducted by bandits from their hostels on April 20, 2021.

Sadly, five of the students were killed by the bandits while in captivity. On April 23, the remains of three of the abducted students were found in Kwanan Bature village, a location close to the university.

The Kaduna Government reported on April 26 that the kidnappers had killed an additional two students.

The Chairman of the Parents Forum, Markus Zarmai and few others received the students at the drop-off location, along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

READ: Bandits release Greenfield student son of retired army officer

The parents of the abducted students said that they paid ransom, in addition to providing eight new motorcycles to the kidnappers before they agreed to release their children.

At a meeting held in Kaduna in April, parents of the students appealed to the government and public to help with the N800 million ransom demand from the kidnappers.

The Kaduna State Government and the Federal Government have counted themselves out and discouraged ransom payments to bandits.

An altercation ensued between parents and the police near Olams farms where the rescued students were kept after their release.

As the police attempted to take the students to their office, the angry parents resisted, and blocked the bus conveying the students before insisting on taking their children home without any police escort.

READ: Bandits tax Kaduna farmers N10m to access farm lands

The angry parents argued that having paid N180 million ransom and bought eight motorcycles for the bandits to secure the release of their children, there was no reason why the security agencies would take custody of them.

“One hundred and eighty million (Naira) that is what they collected from us; from parents without the help of the government. None of the government officials has come to our aid since the 20th of April they took these children…,” one of the obviously angry parents told journalists.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has reacted to the release of the students.

A statement by the State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said Governor Nasir El-Rufai welcomed the news of the students’ release while expressing sympathy over their harrowing ordeal.

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