Abductors of students of Greenfield University, Kaduna State, have given parents of the victims deadline to “settle” their N100 million ransom.
They have threatened to kill the abductees if their demands are not met by today.
The gunmen, suspected to be bandits, attacked the institution on April 18 and abducted some students. The kidnappers subsequently killed three of the students, and later another two, while negotiating an N800 million ransom with the parents.
Speaking in a telephone conversation with the Hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA), Sani Idris Jalingo, who identified himself as leader of the bandits, said 17 of the students were still in their custody. Jalingo said the families of the students had already paid N55 million which he claims was used to feed the abductees.
He demanded a ransom of N100 million and 10 motorcycles, warning that if the Kaduna government or the victims’ families failed to meet their demands by today, the remaining students would be killed. He said five of the students were killed to prove that the state and the federal governments have failed.
“We heard the utterances of the Kaduna State Governor that he will not pay ransom to bandits to purchase additional arms,” Jalingo said in Hausa.
“He also said he told his family that he will not pay ransom if any of them is kidnapped. So, we want to show that the Nigerian government has failed; that is why we killed the students.”
One of the students, Abigail Usman, who spoke during the telephone conversation, appealed to government to pay the ransom and secure their release.
“If they don’t get the money, they will kill us all,” Usman said.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 25 people including children and women were reportedly killed yesterday in separate attacks in Benue.
While suspected herdsmen killed 19 in Tse Amgbem in Gwer West LGAs, six were killed in Agatu.
Sources disclosed that the gunmen also burnt the entire Tse Amgem community and left many others injured.
The invaders, suspected to be herdsmen, reportedly stormed the village about 3am while the people were asleep and started moving from compound to compound and killing everyone in sight.
“They also ensured no house was left in the village as they burnt everything while the people ran in all direction for safety. In fact, many people were injured while some are still missing right now.”
He said the attack had caused humanitarian crisis as hundreds of people who were displaced from the area are now taking refugee in Aondoana community, village of the first lady, Mrs. Eunice Ortom.
Chairman of Gwer West, Mrs. Grace Igbabo, confirmed the report saying the victims were killed in two separate attacks.
“We had about six persons yesterday (Sunday) and 13 people today (yesterday).”
In another, attack, six people reportedly lost their lives following a fresh crisis over fish pond in Egba community of Agatu Local Government Area, yesterday.
Chairman of Agatu LGA, Sule Adoyi, who confirmed the report to newsmen by telephone said fresh crisis broke out over a fish pond in the community.
He said aside from the six persons that were killed in the mayhem, another man said to be father of some of the deceased was being taken to a hospital in Otukpo as a result of the serious injury he sustained in the crisis. He, however, said the incident was purely communal stressing that investigation would reveal whatever actually caused the mayhem.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Catherine Anene, confirmed both attacks but said she was yet to get full details of the attack at the time of filing this report.
There have been a sustained attack on Benue communities in the last few weeks. Only last week Tuesday, seven IDPs were killed and many others injured after suspected herdsmen attacked the Abagena IDPs camp on the outskirts of Makurdi.
Daily Sun
