Kaduna students beg in video as kidnappers demand N500m

Gunmen who abducted 39 students from the Federal College of
Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi local government area of
Kaduna state have demanded N500 million for their release.

Three parents of some of the abducted students have confirmed to
our correspondents that the abductors have reached out and made a
demand of N500 million.

This is also as the kidnappers have released three videos
showing the students in what appeared to be a forest.

The Kaduna State Government is yet to respond to the videos and
ransom demand as the state Commissioner of Internal Security and
Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, did not respond to calls and text
messages sent to his phone.

However, in an interview with Channels TV, monitored, Governor
Nasir El-Rufai ruled out the possibility of paying ransom or
negotiating with the bandits.

Social media account of students

Using the abducted students Facebook accounts, their abductors
released three videos showing them surrounded by gunmen in military
uniform.

Some of the students earlier rescued from the college confirmed
the identities of their friends and schoolmates in the videos.

In the first footage released on Friday at 1:07pm, through the
Facebook account of one Kelvita K. Dan, the gunmen pointed at a man
in a red shirt and asked him to speak. “My name is Abubakar
Yakubu,” he said.

“A student of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation Kaduna.
I am appealing to the Governor of Kaduna state, the state
government and Federal government,” before the 30 seconds video
ended.

Kelvita appealed to the Nigerian government to come to their
rescue by paying the N500 million demanded by their abductors.

Roll call of students

As soon as the second and third videos were posted through the
Facebook page of Tasha Sandra, some of the students earlier rescued
by the military burst into tears as they pointed out their friends
and schoolmates.

Miracle Jacob, who sobbed uncontrollably, identified 11 of the
abducted students from the video and gave their names as:

Rose Okoye,
Kauna Daniel,
Blessing Babale,
Regina John,
Rachel Adejimo,
Benson Emmanuel,
Susan Jatau,
Amina Yusuf Sale,
Jamila Yusuf Sale,
Sarah and Maman Ahmed.

In the second video posted around 11:30 am on Saturday, the
gunmen were seen flogging the students while they screamed and
appealed to the government to come to their rescue.

“Our life is in danger, just give them what they want,” some of
the students screamed.

Others said: “They should just pay the ransom and allow us to
go, our parents need us.”

The third video showed a gun pointed to a man identified as
Benson Emmanuel who appealed to the government to secure their
release.

“Most of us here have been badly injured, time is going, most of
us here are having health issues and they are complaining about the
government trying to send security operatives to come and rescue us
which is almost impossible, because they have surrounded us saying
anybody that comes from anywhere to try to rescue us or do anything
by force, they are going to take our lives.”

“We are appealing to government to come now that is early
because these people have bad mind towards us, we are appealing to
the government to help us,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that in the videos, most of the female
students were unclad with only wrappers tied around their chest
while majority of the male students were shirtless.

Gunmen who abducted 39 students from the Federal College of
Forestry Mechanisation in Afaka, Igabi local government area of
Kaduna state have demanded N500 million for their release.

Three parents of some of the abducted students have confirmed to
our correspondents that the abductors have reached out and made a
demand of N500 million.

This is also as the kidnappers have released three videos
showing the students in what appeared to be a forest.

The Kaduna State Government is yet to respond to the videos and
ransom demand as the state Commissioner of Internal Security and
Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, did not respond to calls and text
messages sent to his phone.

However, in an interview with Channels TV, monitored, Governor
Nasir El-Rufai ruled out the possibility of paying ransom or
negotiating with the bandits.

Social media account of students

Using the abducted students Facebook accounts, their abductors
released three videos showing them surrounded by gunmen in military
uniform.

Some of the students earlier rescued from the college confirmed
the identities of their friends and schoolmates in the videos.

In the first footage released on Friday at 1:07pm, through the
Facebook account of one Kelvita K. Dan, the gunmen pointed at a man
in a red shirt and asked him to speak. “My name is Abubakar
Yakubu,” he said.

“A student of Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation Kaduna.
I am appealing to the Governor of Kaduna state, the state
government and Federal government,” before the 30 seconds video
ended.

Kelvita appealed to the Nigerian government to come to their
rescue by paying the N500 million demanded by their abductors.

Roll call of students

As soon as the second and third videos were posted through the
Facebook page of Tasha Sandra, some of the students earlier rescued
by the military burst into tears as they pointed out their friends
and schoolmates.

Miracle Jacob, who sobbed uncontrollably, identified 11 of the
abducted students from the video and gave their names as:

Rose Okoye,
Kauna Daniel,
Blessing Babale,
Regina John,
Rachel Adejimo,
Benson Emmanuel,
Susan Jatau,
Amina Yusuf Sale,
Jamila Yusuf Sale,
Sarah and Maman Ahmed.

In the second video posted around 11:30 am on Saturday, the
gunmen were seen flogging the students while they screamed and
appealed to the government to come to their rescue.

“Our life is in danger, just give them what they want,” some of
the students screamed.

Others said: “They should just pay the ransom and allow us to
go, our parents need us.”

The third video showed a gun pointed to a man identified as
Benson Emmanuel who appealed to the government to secure their
release.

“Most of us here have been badly injured, time is going, most of
us here are having health issues and they are complaining about the
government trying to send security operatives to come and rescue us
which is almost impossible, because they have surrounded us saying
anybody that comes from anywhere to try to rescue us or do anything
by force, they are going to take our lives.”

“We are appealing to government to come now that is early
because these people have bad mind towards us, we are appealing to
the government to help us,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that in the videos, most of the female
students were unclad with only wrappers tied around their chest
while majority of the male students were shirtless.