- Vow To Negotiate With Bandits
Five of the 39 students abducted by bandits from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka in Kaduna State have regained their freedom.
The five students returned on Monday afternoon and were taken to a military medical facility for examination, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state, Samuel Aruwan, said in a statement.
“The Nigerian military has informed the Kaduna State government that five of the many kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna were recovered this afternoon and are presently in a military facility where they are undergoing a thorough medical check-up.
“The Kaduna State government will provide updates on further operational feedback to be received on this case,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the parents of the 39 students kidnapped from the school have vowed to go ahead with negotiation with the bandits to secure the release of their children despite Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s stance against any form of negotiation with the bandits.
Chairman of Afaka parents Association, Samuel Kambai on Monday said the parents will do anything possible to get the children out of captivity including negotiating with the bandits no matter the consequences.
“We are appealing to the government to look at it critically and help us out. Today is the 25th day that these children have been in the bush and the government by their statement; are showing less concern over the issue.
“We are going to look for a way to negotiate for the life of our children. We are not going to allow our children to continue being in the bush. We will do everything humanly possible to get them back even if we will be killed,” Sani said.
Kambai said this during a meeting at the College Premises by parents of the abducted college students.
Also, Friday Sani, whose two children were among the abducted students, faulted the Kaduna State government for issuing such a warning, noting that such a statement by the government is capable of jeopardizing the release of the abducted students.
