18 days in creek: We’ll rescue abducted school children unhurt -Police

Today will make it exactly 18 days that six students of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, were abducted by militant kidnappers led by General America.

The school children have spent exactly 18 days in the creek, battling mosquitoes, rainfall, poor feeding and trauma.

Yesterday, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Idris Ibrahim, speaking through the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Jimoh Moshood, promised worried parents that everything was being done to rescue their children unhurt.

Moshood said: “We’re doing everything possible to rescue the children. Every kidnapped victim will be rescued and reunited with his family members. The Inspector General of Police has deployed intelligent led policing and community based support to get rid of kidnapping activities across the country, and every kidnapper will face the full wrath of the laws.”

According to security sources, the kidnappers last week reduced the ransom to N10million after much pleading from parents. The parents had earlier raised N6million, which the kidnappers rejected.

Before the kidnappers came down to N10million, they had demanded a billion naira, insisting that government should pay the money.

When they realized government was not ready to play ball, they switched attention to dealing with the parents.

The kidnappers were alleged to have later accepted N10million, leading to the parents having a marathon meeting on Friday.

Sources further said that the N10million ransom was paid on Friday night, with hope rising that the children would be released between that same Friday night and Saturday morning. Till date, the children are still being held in the creeks.

One of the parents, whom New Telegraph called on phone, on the issue, said he was not aware if any ransom had been paid. The waiting game continues.

Meanwhile, the parents are yet to pay the N10million ransom demanded by the kidnappers.

 One of the parents, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said they are still struggling to meet up with the money.

The gunmen was said to have reduced the ransom from N50million to N10million on Thursday night which bring some relieve to the parents.

The kidnappers had told the parents of the students that they are tired of keeping them in the creeks. The gunmen started their ransom demand from over 1billion, then went down to N600million, N400million N100million they later demanded N50million, before accepting to collect the  N10million, which the parents allegedly rallied to raise through loans, friends, family and cooperatives.