The freedom of the abducted students of the Forestry mechanisation college, Kaduna, cost a sum of N15Million in ransom and the release of a convicted bandit from prison.
The New Diplomat had reported that some armed bandits invaded the Federal college of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka,Kaduna State on March 11, at around 11:30 pm, abducting over 39 students of the school.
Ten of the students were later released according to the Kaduna State Government.
According to a source quoted by the Daily Trust, the students were released after a ransom of about N15 million was paid to the bandits and a convict was released to them.
According to the source, the negotiations with the bandits were facilitated by a Popular Islamic Scholar, Sheikh Ahmed Gumi with support from former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The New Diplomat had reported that Obasanjo hosted Gumi at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State. According to a statement issued after the meeting, the duo stated that the meeting focused on the ways to solve the security challenges rocking the country.
However, the leader of the bandits insisted on the release of one of their members who had been convicted.
Following the saga between the two parties, the source disclosed that it took the intervention of a father of one Buhari, alias General, who is also a bandit to seal the deal.
According to source, the “General” had to use his son as bait to force Baderu to agree on the deal.
The convicted bandit identified as Laulu was however, moved to Kaduna from a police facility in Kano on Tuesday ahead of the swap.
It was also gathered that 39 students were initially abducted by the bandits on March 11, however, one of the students escaped a day after.
