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General News of Tuesday, 27 April 2021

Source: www.vanguardngr.com

2 more Greenfield varsity students killed, bandits insist on N800m ransom

Greenfield University, Kaduna Greenfield University, Kaduna

Two more students of Greenfield University, Kaduna, kidnapped over a week ago by bandits have been killed by their abductors who are insisting on payment of N800 million ransom.

The remains of three of the students, a male and two females, had earlier been found in a village close to the university.

Mr Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna State, who confirmed the killing of the two students yesterday, said the state government would update the citizenry on further developments.

“On a sad note, security agencies have just reported to Kaduna State government the recovery of two more dead bodies of Greenfield University students, killed by armed bandits today (yesterday) Monday, April 26, 2021.

“The retrieved corpses have been evacuated to a mortuary, and the university has been notified of the development.

“The government of Kaduna State under the leadership of Malam Nasir El-Rufai is saddened by this evil perpetrated against innocent students abducted while pursuing their education for a glorious future. “

“The government sends its deep empathy to their families and the university management and prays for the repose of their souls. The government will update the citizenry on further developments,” he said.

This now brings to five the number of students so far killed by the kidnappers, while demanding N800 million ransom from the parents.

Another 3 varsity students kidnapped in Benue

The killing of the students came as bandits again ran riot in some parts of the country yesterday, as they kidnapped three students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, FUAM, in Benue State.

The bandits also attacked Kofar Kuyambana low-cost housing estate in Zaria, Kaduna State, but were stoutly resisted by combined efforts of the police and vigilante after a fierce gun battle, after which five of them were arrested.

This is even as tension, fear and apprehension gripped residents of Nasarawa State, following incessant attacks on communities by bandits, which have forced an estimated 50,000 farmers to flee their ancestral homes.

They are now taking refuge in three locations, including Agyaragu, Kadarko and Daudu

Also yesterday, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State decried the incessant invasion of communities by bandits in the state, pointing out that no fewer than 50 villages had been sacked in five local government areas.

Vanguard gathered that the three students, whose identities are yet to be released by the institution at the time of this report, were abducted last Saturday night while studying near a lecture hall.

Confirming the development, the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent, DSP, Catherine Anene, said the command had already received a report of the incident.

She said: “Information has been received by the school authority that on April 24, 2021, at about 10:20 pm some unknown persons came into the school premises and kidnapped three of their students who were studying close to a lecture theatre.

“We received that information and we are on it. I know that we are very close and we will continue to do our best.

“For now this is what I have for the media but my advice is that the members of the public should remain calm. We are doing our best to make sure that we get to the root of the matter and also apprehend the perpetrators of the crime.

“I assure parents of the students that the police will do our best to get back their children. They should remain calm and cooperate with us, we will do our best.”

Asked if the kidnappers had made any demands, the PPPRO said: “That is classified information. When the incident happened we received reports from the school authorities and we are working on it in our own way. We do not need to wait for people to be contacted before we do our job.

“As soon as we received the information we deployed our teams and they are working both technically and physically. So we will continue to do our best. We do not have to wait for contacts to be established before we do our work.  For now we do not have an identity of the affected students.’’

Also confirming the incident, Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Richard Kimbir, said the school was not sure of the number of students involved, assuring that the number of those involved would be ascertained at the end of an ongoing management meeting.

“We are holding a management meeting at the moment and at the end of the meeting we will confirm the number but for now we are sure of two because the kidnappers have made contacts with us,” he said.