Bandits release 15 more students of Bethel School

Bandits have released 15 more students of the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna.

It was gathered that an undisclosed amount of money was paid before the 15 students were released on Saturday night.

The assailants had, on July 25, released 28 students after N50m ransom was reportedly paid.

After that, the bandits were said to have demanded another N80 million for the release of the remaining 80 students.

The bandits had kidnapped 121 students in the early hours of July 5, 2021, according to the President of the Kaduna Baptist Conference, Rev. Ishaya Jangado, who is also the proprietor of the school.

They invaded the school premises along the KadunaKachia highway, Damishi, in Chikun Local Government Area of the state, around 2 am on the said date.

The Chairman of the Kaduna State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Reverend John Hayab, who confirmed the release said the 15 students were released on Saturday night.

Hayab said 65 students were still in captivity and prayed for their safe return.

The freed students had been reunited with their parents.

They were conveyed to the Baptist Secretariat in an 18-seater bus.

The parents could not hide their joy as they sang song of praises and shed tears on sighting their children, who spent 46 days in captivity.

Though the students had been refreshed before they were handed over to their parents, the students’ traumatic and sickly state was apparent.