Parents Reveal The Truth: UNIJOS Students’ Parents Claim They Paid Ransoms, Not Police Intervention

Cursory: Parents of the kidnapped students from the University of Jos, Plateau State, have revealed that they paid ransom to the kidnappers to secure the release of their children, contradicting the claims made by the Nigerian police. The police had previously stated that they rescued six out of the seven students, but the parents, speaking to journalists, stated that the students were actually released after they individually negotiated with the kidnappers and the ransom was paid. They revealed how the students got home and their ordeal.

Contrary to the claims made by the Nigerian police, parents of the kidnapped students from the University of Jos, Plateau State, have revealed that they paid a ransom to secure the release of their children from the kidnappers.

These students were taken captive from their off-campus hostel in Jos while they were preparing for their second-semester examinations.

The Plateau State Command of the Nigeria Police Force had previously stated that they successfully rescued six out of the seven abducted students. According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, in a statement released on Friday in Jos, five students were rescued, while one managed to escape unharmed from the captors’ location.

The police spokesperson had earlier announced, “The police command is pleased to announce to the general public that six of the seven victims who were kidnapped on June 13, have regained their freedom.”

The command swung into action immediately after the incident was reported, and worked tirelessly in collaboration with its Anti-Kidnapping unit, family members of the victims, and the community to secure the release of the victims. “Five of the victims were rescued, one escaped from the kidnappers’ den, while one victim is still in captivity,” Alabo said.

However, the parents of the kidnapped students, speaking to journalists in Jos on Monday, contradicted the police’s claim and revealed that their children were released after they paid a ransom to the kidnappers.

The parents explained that the kidnappers released the students in the bush after the ransom was paid. According to PUNCH, one of the parents named Dung Prince, whose son Dan was among the freed students, explained that each parent individually negotiated with the kidnappers and raised the ransom money.

After reaching an agreement with the kidnappers, the parents were instructed to go to Gurum village near Mista Ali community in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

“We, the parents of the kidnapped students, later met and I can tell you that each parent discussed with the kidnappers individually for ransom payment. And it was after we agreed with the kidnappers that they asked us to come to Gurum village near Mista Ali community in the Bassa LGA of Plateau State.

“We went there and after giving them the ransom we earlier agreed, they asked us to return to a bridge in Mista Ali and wait; that the kidnapped students will meet us there. We waited till 12am, and when there was no sign of anyone in sight, one of the parents, whose son was also kidnapped, suggested that we leave the place and report the matter at the Mista Ali Police Station.

“As we got to the police station, we were surprised to see the kidnapped children there,” the parent said.“The students told us that the kidnappers left them in the bush and that as they were trekking towards the town, they met a woman and inquired to know where they were and the woman told them that they were in Mista Ali.“

They begged the woman for food and she gave them one moin-moin. The woman then took them to the chief of the village, who then moved them to the police station. So, the claim by the police that the students were rescued by its anti- kidnapping unit is not true.”

Another parent, Monday Mwi, who corroborated Dung’s account on how the kidnapped students were rescued, added, “It is by the grace of God that the kidnapped students did not die of hunger and exhaustion because the kidnappers fed them only with mango throughout the four days they were with them.”

Source: Saharareporters

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