Bandits threaten to kill remaining students abducted from Kaduna private varsity

Bandits have threatened to kill the remaining 17 students abducted from Greenfield University, Kaduna State.

Twenty-two students and a member of staff were abducted from the school campus along the Kaduna-Abuja highway on April 20 and within a week, five of them were killed.

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In an interview with the Hausa Service of Voice of America (VOA), monitored by our correspondent, a leader of the bandit group who identified himself as Sani Idris Jalingo, said if the Kaduna State Government or their families fail to pay a ransom of N100 million as well as provide them with 10 brand Honda motorcycles by Tuesday, the remaining students will be killed.

Jalingo said there were 17 students in his custody, including 15 females and two males, among them a grandchild of the late 18th emir of Zazzau, Shehu Idris, whom he identified as Hamza.

The bandit revealed that the families of the students have already raised and paid N55 million to them but claimed they had used the money to feed the students.

He vowed that it was his final warning and should government or the students’ families fail to meet his demands, all the students will be killed.

“You are speaking with the abductors of Greenfield students. We heard the utterances of the Kaduna State Governor that he will not pay ransom to bandits to purchase additional arms,” he said.

Asked if he sees himself as a terrorist, Jalingo laughed and said: “I’m nothing but a food seeker.”

Emphasising on his threat, the bandit said: “If they fail to bring N100 million and 10 brand new Honda motorcycles known as Boko Haram by Tuesday, I can assure you they will use trucks to evacuate the bodies of the remaining students.”

He warned security agencies not to waste their time planting trackers on the motorcycles, saying his members do not go to cities and therefore arresting them will be difficult.