College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka: Kaduna: kidnappers threaten to kill abducted students

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

Kidnapped students of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna State are on death row of their abductors and only a ransom of N500 million can reverse the decision.

Parents of the students have therefore raised their voices in supplication to President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Nasir el-Rufai to save the students from the troubling fate.

The parents addressed a press conference on Friday in Kaduna where they made a passionate appeal for the rescue of the students who have been in captivity of the kidnappers for many weeks.

Thirty-nine students were abducted from the school by unknown gunmen who invaded it on Friday March 12th.

However, 10 of the students have been released in two batches, leaving 29 others in the kidnappers’ den.

Channels Television reports that speaking at a press conference in Kaduna the spokesperson for the parents, Friday Sani, said the government has been adamant that it will not accede to the demands of the kidnappers.

But he added that the kidnappers are now calling parents directly and threatening to kill their children if their ransom demands are not met.

Mr. Sani, a father to two of the abducted students, appealed to President Buhari as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, to use his power to hasten the release of the students.

He also appealed to the Kaduna State Government to rescind its decision not to negotiate with the bandits for the sake of the safety of the children.

The News reports that abduction of the 39 students was the third major attack on schools in Nigeria in 2021.

In February gunmen abducted students and staff of Government Science Secondary School, Kagara, Niger State, and Government Girls Secondary School, Jangebe, Zamfara State.