FIVE MORE BETHEL SCHOOL STUDENTS REGAIN FREEDOM

Five more abducted students along with the matron of the Bethel Baptist Secondary School in Kaduna State have been released by bandits. The victims regained their freedom on Friday, after spending about 95 days in the custody of their abductors.

They were kidnapped on July 5 when a group of armed men invaded the school in Chikun Local  Government Area of the state. Police authorities in Kaduna are yet to make any comment on the release of the students. However, the President of the Nigerian  Baptist  Convention,  Reverend  Israel  Akanji confirmed their release on Friday, adding that four remaining students are expected to be released soon.

A total of 121 students had been forcefully taken away from their hostels when the school came under attack by the assailants in July. The bandits later released 28 of them on July 25, after a ransom was reportedly paid. Thereafter,  15  additional students regained freedom from the captivity of their abductors on August 22. Ten more students regained their freedom on  September  18, and an additional 10 students on September 26.

The outbreak of kidnapping for ransom payment spiked recently in Kaduna, with schoolchildren as targets for bandits. However, authorities in the state have insisted that they will neither negotiate nor pay any money to the criminals.