Ekiti: Kidnappers Threaten To Kill Our Children if Ransom is Not Paid – Parent
The abductors of five students and four staff members from the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools in Emure Ekiti, have issued a threat to end the lives of their hostages unless the parents promptly pay the demanded ransom.
According to reports received by The Punch on Thursday, the families revealed that the abductors have reduced the ransom amount to N15 million.
Meanwhile, law enforcement announced the arrest of 13 suspects linked to the tragic killing of two Ekiti monarchs: the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, allegedly by kidnappers.
The incident occurred as armed individuals ambushed a bus transporting over 25 students from the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti, after school hours along the Emure-Ekiti — Iporo Ekiti route.
Relatives of the victims, speaking separately in phone interviews, shared that the kidnappers initially demanded N100 million but later reduced the sum to N15 million following negotiations with the families.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: How Unknown Gunmen Kidnapped Schoolchildren in Ekiti
The families emphasized the urgency of the reduced ransom payment as the abductors cautioned that the children’s condition was deteriorating and threatened dire consequences if the ransom wasn’t promptly paid.
The Principal of the secondary section of the school, Boje Olanireti, previously informed The PUNCH that although the bus carried over 25 students, five were seized along with four staff members.
The abduction occurred on the same day when gunmen fatally attacked two Ekiti monarchs while the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, narrowly escaped.
In an interview with The PUNCH, Pastor Clement Adebisi, whose wife Mary was among the abducted staff, disclosed that the kidnappers urged them to secure the funds swiftly, underscoring that the children were showing signs of weakening. He recounted that his wife was accompanied by their three children on the bus, but the kidnappers took her while leaving the children behind.
Adebisi stated, “We just spoke with them two hours ago and they concluded that we should pay N15m. They told us that the children were already getting weak and we should find the money on time and come and take them out of their place. “
“One of my children who tried to follow her mother was beaten and thrown into the bush. It was the eldest sister that went to carry her. She even fainted twice when they got home,” he added.
Another parent, Adebisi Jegede, whose wife, Esther, and daughter, Ogoolami, are among the victims, said the abductors threatened to kill their victims.
He said, “My wife is a teacher, and I was the first person they called, and that was the second day around 2 p.m. When they first called me, they said we should bring N10m each to secure their release.
‘’When they called me the second time, they started to beat my wife and the children and kept asking for money. They threatened to kill them if we did not pay the money.”
Furthermore, Oluwadare Oniya, father of nine-year-old Peace, one of the victims, mentioned that the kidnappers were initially offered N500,000, but they became enraged and declined the offer.
Moreover, a reliable source revealed that approximately N3 million had been collected thus far for the release of the kidnapped individuals. The source added, “The gunmen are issuing threats, stating they will execute the victims if the payment isn’t made promptly. They demand N15 million for the safe return of the captives.”
“What we need now is money to secure the release of our children and wives because we just had a conversation with the kidnappers. Today, they called four to five times. They said the ransom is now 15 million.”
On Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, reported that the police had apprehended an additional eight suspects in the state’s forests in connection with the murder of two Ekiti traditional rulers.
(PUNCH)
