Parents of kidnapped students cough out N285,000 to shore up N10m ransom

Weary parents of six kidnapped pupils of Igbonla Model College, Epe, have reportedly coughed out the sum of N285,000 in cash to shore up the sum of N10 million naira already contributed as ransom for the release of their children.

Reports say the contributions were made after the disturbing delay to effect the release of their kids with affected parents contributing as much as N2,000,000 while others who couldn’t contribute blamed the prevailing economic situation for their inability to do so.

Speaking about the development, one of the parents who confirmed and participated in the contribution simply identified as Bosun said one of the parents had to sell his car to raise cash.

“The person collecting the money said N285,000 had so far been contributed. As at yesterday, there was no additional contribution. Some parents that would have gladly contributed had withdrawn their children from the school.

“We were moved by pity when we learned that one of the affected parents sold his car to raise money for the release of his son.

“Some even sold their landed properties to make up the N10 million that was paid. Is that amount not enough to release the students?

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“By today (yesterday), they would have spent 36 days with their captors. Only God knows what they are feeding them with and the condition they have been subjected to.

“We heard that one of them fell sick at a time and was taken out of the creeks. Who knows if same fate had befallen others. Those students are going through hell, no doubt.

“I do not know what I would have done if my son was one of them. I will withdraw my two children after their third term examination.”

The development is coming a day after the kidnappers threatened concerned parents that they may relocate their kids to another hideout.

The threat was issued by the kidnappers after security operatives attempted to invade their camp by sneaking into a creek in Ondo State where the students who have now been held for 36 days were suspected to have been kept.

Reports say the security operatives found it very hard to access the camp of the kidnappers because they didn’t have a wooden boat which would have made it easier to cross some sections of the creek from where one would continue with a speed boat.

According to a police source, the police got information that the kidnappers were planning to change the location where they initially held the students.

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