Bandits release one of abducted Baptist student on health ground •Demand N60m ransom before Sallah

TNT Newsline July 19, 2021 2 minutes read

By MUHAMMAD SABIU, Kaduna

One of the 121 abducted students of Bethel Baptist High School Kaduna has been released due to illness.

He was brought back by two people who were abducted by the same bandits and were released after their people had paid ransom.

A member of Bethel Baptist church who pleaded for anonymity told the Nigerian Tribune in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

He said the parents of the released boy had taken him to the hospital and he has regained consciousness on Friday.

The student who also spoke with Nigerian Tribune remarked that the bandits were treating all the students well as their leader had warned that the students must not be molested or maltreated.

The released student also said the bandits allowed them to observe their regular devotion.

“We sing choruses and pray loudly without molestation. The leader of the bandits said we must be allowed to worship our Go.

“They even ask us to pray for them each time they are leaving the camp either for operations or market so that they will return safely.”

The boy added that the bandits had plenty of cows and goats and slaughtered one every two days to feed them.

However, the church member stated that the church was struggling to meet the conditions laid out by the bandits for the children to be released.

According to him, the bandits are asking for ₦500,000 per child which will take payment to ₦60m their final request.

It was gathered the bandits have given them tomorrow (Monday) as it must be paid before Salah on Tuesday.

According to the source, some amount has been gathered, but the church is trying to raise additional funds from members of the church and well-wishers secretly.

“Parents of the children have also been contributing to the pool,” the source remarked. “We are looking desperately for ₦20m.”

As at the time of filing the report, there was no statement from the police or the state government on the release of the student. (Courtesy Nigerian Tribune)