In what is generally seen as an ‘overkill’ ransom demand, aggrieved parents of the remaining 20 abducted students of Greenfield University in Kaduna State have appealed to the Federal Government to urgently assist them in rescuing their children in the captivity of bandits.
The parents who met on Friday for a prayer session in Kaduna decried the continued stay of their children in the custody of the bandits since they were abducted from the school on April 20.
Chairman of the aggrieved parents, Marcus Zarmai, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to use his offices to secure the release of the students before something sinister happens to them.
According to him, the kidnappers are demanding the sum of N100 million even after the parents have collectively paid them over N60 million ransom for the release of their children without any success.
The expression on the faces of the parents clearly showed the trauma and nightmare they have gone through in the last three weeks.
Having exhausted all the money they have to pay as ransom, the parents appealed to the Federal Government to assist them to pay the ransom demanded or find any other way to ensure the safe return of their children.
Among those kidnapped by the bandits is a woman whose daughter, Esther Chukwuemeka, joined in praying for the release of the abducted persons. Esther decried that her mother’s absence has created a vacuum in their family and appealed to the bandits to release her mother.
The mass abduction of students for ransom payment has been on the increase in Kaduna State in recent times, with the government insisting that it would neither negotiate nor pay any money to bandits.
Less than four weeks ago, bandits stormed the school in Chikun Local Government Area of the state where they abducted a total of 20 students and three members of staff of the university.
Few days after the incident, the armed men killed five of the students and threatened to kill the others if their parents and government fail to pay N800 million ransom.
While one of the students was later freed about two weeks ago after his parents reportedly paid a ransom for his release, the fate of the remaining students still hangs in the balance.