Although, the kidnappers gave the abducted Kaduna school girls transport fare back home, yet their parents disclosed that they paid ransom twice to the abductors before their children were released.
Even as they refused to disclose the amount paid to the kidnappers, the parents who addressed a press conference to appreciate Nigerians and those who played roles in their children’s safe release said, they paid the ransom on instalments.
The six female students and two staff of the Engravers College, Kakau Daji in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State were kidnapped by armed kidnappers within the school premises in the first week of October.
They were however released on Saturday, after which the police in Kaduna claimed that they rescued the schoolgirls and their teachers following an intelligence report.
However, the parents while speaking on Tuesday said, their children were set free by their abductors after meeting the ransom demanded by them.
Spokesman of the parents, Engr. Ohemu Fredrick disclosed that, a former Governor of the state who neither knew them or ever met them raised money alongside his friends, for them to pay the kidnappers.
He also said the former Governor also rendered the children and the two staff free medical treatment aside from providing the victims ambulance that conveyed them.
Corroborating the story, one of the parents told newsmen shortly after briefing that the police merely gave their children and the two staff ride after the kidnappers had set them free.
He explained that after the kidnappers had set them (the children and the two staff) the police merely picked up the children and dropped them near the Kaduna tollgate, about 5kilometre away from the city centre.
“We thanked them (police) for giving the children and the two staff a ride.
“What happened was that when the children and the two staff were released, they had no shoes or footwear’s on them. So, out of the ransom paid, the kidnappers gave the victims transport money to come back to the town. It was out of that money that the principal crossed over to the other side of the road to buy footwears(slippers) for the victims. It was at that point that police arrived and offered to give the victims lift.
“Even the first time we paid part of the ransom, the kidnappers also gave the ransom bearer transport fare back to town. So, we really appreciate the police for giving our children and the staff lift.”
The parents, however, recounted that the girls and their teachers were really tortured by the kidnappers. “The children and the two staff really suffered while in the hands of their abductors. They tortured them each time they called us so that we could hear them.
They, however, expressed appreciation to all Nigerians, the former Governor and all who played roles to get their daughters released.
