The abductors of school pupils and staff from the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools in Emure Ekiti, Ekiti State, have rejected a ransom offer of N7 million. This heartbreaking development has left the parents and families of the kidnapped victims in anguish and despair, as they plead for support and assistance in securing the safe release of their loved ones.
The Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has reassured the affected families that every possible effort is being made to ensure the safe return of the abducted pupils and staff. He also vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, emphasizing the government’s commitment to resolving this distressing situation.
The incident occurred when armed gunmen ambushed a bus carrying schoolchildren and staff on their journey back home from school in Eporo. Tragically, nine individuals were abducted during the attack and taken to an undisclosed location in the forest.
During a visit to the distraught parents and families in Emure Ekiti, Princess Toyin Agbaje-Malomo, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Interest Groups, conveyed the government’s solidarity and support. She offered words of comfort, saying, “You are not alone; we are together in it. Governor Biodun Oyebanji is assiduously working on it so that our people in captivity will be rescued to rejoin families and loved ones.”
However, the situation has taken a grim turn as the kidnappers have demanded a ransom of N15 million for the release of the victims. Mrs. Dorcas Ojo, a grandmother to three of the kidnapped children, revealed the dire circumstances, stating, “It is the kidnappers who are calling us that the children are getting weak and that we should bring ‘their’ N15 million ransom on time. When we offered them the amount that we have gathered, they rejected it, saying unless the N15 million is complete.”
Pastor Clement Adebisi, whose wife was among those abducted, expressed the urgency of the situation, explaining, “We want the government to please remedy this situation for the release of the abductees.” He further revealed that, despite the collective efforts of individuals, communities, and the government, they have managed to raise only N7 million, which was rejected by the kidnappers. Desperation mounts as they struggle to gather the additional N8 million needed for the ransom.
Oluwadare Oniya, a father of an abducted nine-year-old girl, shared his concerns, stating, “My child there is nine years old; at that age, you can imagine the situation she will be in because when we talk with the abducted persons, they tell us that the kidnappers don’t give them food or water. It is going to be a week now. We have tried, but our best appeared not to be enough to meet the kidnappers’ demands.”
The Chairman of Emure Local Government Area, Adedayo Adedigbo, highlighted the combined efforts of the state government, the Emure community, and security agencies to secure the release of the kidnapped victims. He expressed hope that these efforts would lead to a successful rescue operation.
The Ekiti State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, provided insights into the ongoing efforts to secure the release of the abducted schoolchildren. He revealed that both overt and covert operations have been intensified, with the Nigeria Police Force Airwing and the Intelligence Response Team from Abuja joining the operation on the ground.
