Six students of the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe, who were kidnapped by unknown gunmen 53 days ago, are yet to regain their freedom even after the kidnappers had collected a N31 million ransom from their parents.

According to Punch, the money was paid in two tranches of N10 million and N21 million respectively, after which the abductors claimed that the children would be released within two days. However, that has not happened.

Some parents were assigned to take the money to an undisclosed place, where they gave it to some members of the kidnap gang. They are now worried that their children have not been released exactly one week after collecting the ransom.

Some of the parents said they had to sell their property while some had to borrow in order to raise the money.

“We don’t know what else these people want. The parents are stranded,” said a source close to the development who pleaded anonymity.

“The first time, three parents met with them somewhere and gave them N10 million. They demanded another N21 million ransom. The parents took the money to the place and gave it to some gang members.

“They told the parents that they had done all the necessary things and promised to release the children in the next two days. They have been expecting the children since last week.”

One of the parents corroborated this claim, adding that the kidnappers are demanding additional N1.5 million.

He said: “We gave them N31 million cash. We didn’t send it through a third party and they confirmed the money was complete. They promised to release our children soon.

“We were confused when we heard that they demanded another N1.5m before the children could be released.”

Olarinde Famous-Cole, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, and the Force PRO, have continued to assure the parents that their children would soon be rescued.

The names of the six kidnapped boys are Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf.

Gunemen broke into their hostel around 6am on May 25, and whisked away 10 of them to a waterside.

The students were said to have been screened based on their family background, after which four of them were released while the others were taken away in a speedboat.