Nine Abducted ABU Students Regain Freedom

Nine students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna state, who were abducted by kidnappers have reportedly been released after a week in captivity.

They were abducted during an attack on motorists along Kaduna-Abuja road on Sunday.

The students, from the Department of French, were travelling to Lagos for a programme at the Nigerian French Language Village (NFLV) in Badagry.

Dickson Oko, one of the students who escaped but suffered a gunshot wound, said the kidnappers had already reached out to the families of the students to demand N30 million each for their freedom.

There are reports that kidnappers reduced the ransom to N1 million for each student.

Speaking with TheCable on Sunday, Ashiru Zango, ABU’s chief security officer, said he got information that they have been released but was still awaiting details for the head of the French department.

Zango asked this reporter to call back for further details

“I am still awaiting details from the (French) head of department,” he said.

“But someone told me that they have been released.”

Corroborating Zango’s assertion, Julius Mutum who said he is a brother to one of the victims, tweeted that his sister has been released.

“Some of the #ABU9 including my sister have just regained their freedom. Strictly by family efforts. Thank you @TheAbusite for lending your voice when everyone including govt and security agents didn’t care,” he tweeted.