by Tosin Adesina
Sixty-five days after they were abducted from their schools the six kidnapped students of Igbonla model college, Epe were rescued from by the Police from their kidnappers.
The kidnappers had stormed their school in a Gestapo manner on the 25th of May 2017, abducting about 10 students but later had to release four after getting the personal data of their parents to know who will breed more cash for them. Those whose parents were suspected not to be wealthy enough were released while those with whose parents had fat pockets were ferried across the swamp at the back of the school.
Immediately this event happened there was pandemonium everywhere as the school just experienced a kidnapping occurrence not too long ago. As expected the kidnappers contacted the parents of the kids to confirm the abduction and immediately demanded the sum of one billion naira as ransom, which they later reduced to N100m. The parents were said to have paid N31m, which they reportedly raised through loans and other means to facilitate the release of their children, but the kidnappers refused to release the kids after collecting the ransom and rather demanded for more.
After 65 days, the boys were released due to a combined effort of security agencies and the Lagos and Ondo state governments. on the 28th of July 2017 due to the combined effort of the IGP Intelligence Response Team. Their release is coming at a time the parents had given up on their return as the kidnappers reportedly cut the communication line with the parents but that’s now a history we shouldn’t worry about.
The main point of contention is why it took so long for them to return. The long absence of the students had created an academic deficiency for them, they missed the third term examination for the session, they were also away for sixty-five days in an inconducive environment where reptiles and insects lives, their parents experienced their worst emotional trauma in recent years due to the kidnap.
The attitude of the Lagos State government was also a pointer to the fact that their case was not a pressing issue for them. It’s worthy of note that the Lagos State government maintained a communication gap with the parents which made the parents lose interest in the assurance given by the government and they had no option than to resort to self-help.
Above all we are happy the boys are back but they should have come earlier, or better still, they should not have been kidnapped in the first place.
Up Liverpool…..not even one Liverpool fan there, that is why its good to join good football club