PARENTS of kidnapped students of Greenfield University in Kaduna State have said that they paid N180 million for the release of 14 of their children from kidnappers’ den.
According to reports, 14 students were released on Saturday evening.
In a video seen by The ICIR, two of the parents disclosed that N180 million was paid to the kidnappers.
“One hundred and eighty million naira, that is what they collected, without the help of government. None of the government officials have come to address us since 20th of April,” the man in the video said.
A woman, also a parent of one of the abducted students, said the parents also gave 10 motorcycles to the kidnappers.
The ICIR had reported that five of the kidnapped students had been found dead after the kidnappers threatened to kill them if ransoms were not paid.
An unspecified number of students were kidnapped by gunmen on April 20 from the Greenfield University in Kaduna.
Governor of Kaduna State Nasir El-Rufai has insisted he would not pay ransom to kidnappers in the state.
El Rufai said paying ransoms to kidnappers would not curb insecurity in the state.
The Kaduna Police Command did not respond to calls and text messages from The ICIR concerning the release and ransom.
Also, Press Secretary to the Kaduna State Government Muyiwa Adekeye did not respond to calls and text messages from The ICIR.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94