Kaduna kidnappers demand N50m ransom for six female students, teachers

Abductors of six female students and their teachers at the Engravers College, Kakau Daji in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have demanded N50m as ransom before the abductees can regain their freedom.

Some gunmen in the early hours of Thursday stormed the college and took away six female students and two other staff of the school residing in the school to an unknown destination.

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo, confirmed the incident

Speaking to newsmen on Friday, one of the parents who crave for anonymity, said the kidnappers had made contact with the management of the school where they demanded the N50m ransom.

"We learnt that the kidnappers had contacted the college where they first demanded N30m per head of students.

"We were told that the school authority told the kidnappers that they could only afford to pay N100,000(one hundred thousand Naira for the release of the students and their teachers. The kidnappers told them they are not serious to get the children back. Negotiation is still going on," he said.

It also was gathered that the students were immediately sent on a break following the abduction of the six female students and two members of staff of the college.

"We have sent the students on a week break pending when the situation would normalize," a source told our correspondent.

They shot at me but I distracted them by shouting - Vice-Principal.

Meanwhile, the Vice Principal, (Administration), Mr. Shunom Giwa confirmed that the kidnappers had made contact with the management of the school.

He, however, maintained silence on the N50m ransom demanded by the abductors, saying that he could talk on that.

"The kidnappers have contacted us. We are already on it. By God's grace, they will all be released today(Friday)," he said.

While narrating his ordeal, Giwa told our correspondent who visited the college that kidnappers numbering five invaded the school premises at about 12.10 am.

He said while in his residence in one of the staff quarters in the school, he heard an unusual noise and directed his wife and children to go and hide inside the bedroom.

According to him, the kidnappers attempted to forcefully pull down the door but "I asked them not to bother that I was coming to open the door for them".

He said after a headcount of the students when the kidnappers had left, they discovered that they(kidnappers) took away six female students, the Vice-Principal(Academic) and the house mistress.

He also disclosed that before the abduction, the student population was over 100, adding that due to insecurity, the population kept depleting.

"Presently, we have about 100 students, but the population kept dropping due to the security challenges," he said.

The Vice Principal added, "It was around 12:10 am, we heard a noise, then I woke my wife and children, I asked them to go and hide inside the bedroom. Before I could come to the sitting room, they were already trying to force open my doors. Then, I asked them not to bother that I was coming to open it for them.

"I opened the door and saw five young men with arms. Then, they asked me to lie down which I did, then, they asked me to give them what I had in my pocket, I gave them all I had. They then attempted to enter my bedroom, and I know that my wife and children were inside. I stood up to distract them, but they asked me to lie down again, I did.

"All of sudden, they brought out my colleague - the Vice Principal Academy. They also asked him to lay on the floor.

"So, when I discovered that, their attention was on my colleague, I just ran into the bush and they shot at me, but fortunately they didn't get me. They thought I was inside that class they searched for me without success.

"When they couldn't get me they started looking for where the students were. They now came to this hostel, forced the door open. Then, I started thinking, what can I do to distract them. Then, I started shouting, Police, JTF, security come, there are kidnappers here. Then, they started shooting towards my direction again. I then ran and jumped the fence out of the school."

He said further, "I was behind the fence until I heard dogs barking in the bush, then, I knew they must be the ones leaving. So, I heard my colleague, the matron calling the name of the Senior Prefect. I called his name, he answered, then, I came out. All the girls had moved to the Matron's house.

"So, we started doing a headcount to know who and who were taken. Then, we realised the Vice Principal Academics, Mr. Joel Adamu, the House Mistress, and six female students were abducted."

"It was because I kept shouting, kidnappers, kidnappers that, made them want to leave the school in a hurry, otherwise they would have had a field day and gone with all the girls."

We pray our children are release alive - parent.

One of the traumatized parents, Mr. Julde Juli, whose 15-year-old daughter was among abductees, prayed that the kidnappers release their children alive.

"We just pray nothing happens to them and they come out alive.

"We just have to take things the way it comes because is how God ordains it to happen.

"I used to have two children here(school) but one of them has been taken to the Federal Science School, Sokoto."

On what attracted him to take his children to the school, he said, "from my experience over the years, the school is good based on their performance and the school fee is moderate."

On how he felt on hearing of the abduction of his daughter, Juli added, "As a parent, I was shocked on receiving the news of the kidnap of my daughter."

He urged all those that indulged in kidnapping for business to repent of the sins.