Relieved parents and family members of the 14 remaining kidnapped students and workers of the Greenfield University, Kaduna State, said they were forced to sell their property to raise ransom to enable the remaining victims regained their freedom.
One of the parents in a trending video, said that they collectively paid N180 million just as a visibly disturbed mother also said that the ransom in cash was supported with eight brand new motorcycles based on the demands of the kidnappers.
The 13 students and three staff members of the University that were abducted on April 20, 2021 were released on Saturday by the bandits along the notorious Kaduna-Abuja expressway, few kilometers from the school.
The bandits invaded the private University, killing an official after which they abducted 19 students and three female workers of the institution.
However, few days after the kidnap of the students, the dare devil bandits killed five of their victims as a warning for the parents of the students to hasten the payment of N800 million they demanded.
Confirming the release of the remaining Greenfield University Students, the Nigeria Police Command for Kaduna State, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said the release of the students took place 39 days after their abduction and in captivity.
It was gathered that the bandits had agreed to reduce the ransom from N800 million to N100 million in addition to 10 motorcycles but later demanded that each of the parents should pay N10m for each of the students.
The parents, it was gathered had to rally round and raised N180 million as well as purchased eight motorcycles which were taken to the bandits at an agreed location before the students were set free.
The parents said they had to sell their assets to secure the release of their children from the bandits, who vowed to kill the students if their demands for N800 million ransom was not met.
One of the freed staff members, who simply identified herself as Mrs Bassey, said that she thanked God that they were returned safely and now reunited with their families saying; “I give God all the glory that we returned safely. They tried to take care of us. We were eating normally”. However, another parent, Mr. Bassey Bassey while expressing joy over the release of his daughter, said that it was totally disappointing that Nigerian children have no future with the attitude of both the Federal and Kaduna State governments.
He said; “How can you have a government that did not bother about the citizens of the country? Throughout the period that our children were in the hands of the bandits, the government did not make any move to secure them. We the parents were left all alone. It is really sad.
“After 40 days of trauma, trouble, confusion, disappointment that the future of Nigerian children were kidnapped, we are very happy that we see them again alive.
“But it is disappointing that both federal and state governments could not lift a finger to secure their release. No government showed any intention to help. It was parents that rallied round to ensure that the students were released.
“There was no effort, no fight by government or security agencies to get them freed. We suffered, and sold all our properties to rescue our children. No government, no security agencies that came to help us. It is shameful that those who did not contribute anything came out to take the glory.
“Now is not a time to take that decision of returning our children back to that school. The school authority tried well. We will take that decision later.”
“We paid a huge amount of money to secure their release. The bandits collected a number of motorbikes which we had to give because our destiny was tied up,” he said.
It was gathered that the bandits after collecting the ransom, dropped the 13 students and three staff of the university close to a company where the security operatives guarding the premises refused the parents that had gathered to receive their children from picking them.
The development angered the parents that broke into the company and took their children away saying; “how can the children be handed over to the same government that did not bothered about the students’ life and where about throughout the period they were in captivity be now concerned after their freedom”.
The visibly angered parents accused the Federal and Kaduna State governments as well as the Nigeria Police of deliberate non-challant attitude during their struggle with sleepless nights to secure the release of their children.
Mr Chukwuemeka Lawrence, a husband of one of the kidnapped workers, also confirmed that huge sums of money were paid as ransom, saying; “We paid ransom before they were released. The kidnappers called us and told us that government is behind them; that the government knows what they are doing and that we should look for more money.
“We begged them but they refused to listen to our pleas. We sold houses. The total amount we paid was N150m. I cannot hide the truth. Government promised to protect us but they are not doing so. How can my wife go to work for two days and I will be paying over N5m? I can’t hide the truth. That is what is killing us in this country.”
