Igbonla School Kidnap: Victims regain freedom

By OKOSUN DENNIS

After six days in kidnappers den, two students, Vice Principal and a teacher of Igbonla Model School, Epe, were released by their abductors on Tuesday night.

It was not immediately known whether ransom was paid before they were freed.

Attempt to reach the Lagos Police Command spokesperson, Superintendent Dolapo Badmus to comment on the release and whether ransom was paid failed as his telephone lines were switched off.

Two among the four students kidnapped had escaped shortly after they were kidnapped last Thursday.

The victims were kidnapped while on the assembly ground on October 5 when heavily armed men stormed their school and whisked them away through the creeks in a flying boat.

On Monday, the kidnappers issued the families of the victims a 48-hour ultimatum to pay the ransom of risk their lives.

It was learnt that the kidnappers told family members on Monday that the health condition of one of the girls has deteriorated.

With the ransom reduced to N6m, the families were threatened to do everything possible to pay to avoid risking their lives.

The released victims included Isaac Adebisi, Okonkwo Emmanuel, Abu and Jeremiah; the English Language/Civic Education teacher, Lukman Oyerinde, and the VP, A.O. Oyesola.

This was the second time this year that students were kidnapped in their school premises during session. In March, three female students of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu were kidnapped but were later released after ransom was paid.