Abducted Ekiti School Children, Teachers Regain Freedom [VIDEO]

The kidnapped pupils and staff of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti, have regained their freedom.

Reports Online noted that the abductees were said to have been released in the early hours of Sunday.

The victims were now in the palace of Elemure of Emure Ekiti, according to Mr. Adebayo Oluwatosin, the Chairman of Emure Local Government, who confirmed this to reporters over the phone this morning.

He claimed that eight people were freed and the driver died.

Sunday Abutu, the public relations officer for the Ekiti State Police Command, confirmed the development. “All victims were rescued today at about 1:30am but unfortunately, we lost the driver who was suspectedly killed by the abductors”

The governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the security services, and Ekitikete on Sunday for their assistance in securing the prompt release of the students who had been abducted.

In a statement released by Mr. Yinka Oyebode, his Special Advisor on Media, Oyebanji congratulated the kids and their families and thanked President Tinubu for issuing the precise orders that accelerated the search and rescue effort.

The statement reads, “Noting the traumatic experience of the children in the kidnappers' den, Governor Oyebanji has directed the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani to take the children to the state Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti for proper medical treatment and post trauma therapy.

“The Governor, who kept vigil with Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele till 3.00am to ensure the release of the children, acknowledges the solidarity shown by his colleagues governors, former governors of the state as well as religious leaders and traditional rulers.

“He also thanks members of the Ekiti State Caucus in the National Assembly and members of the state House of Assembly for their support. “And more importantly, we thank God for everything” the Governor said.

“Governor Oyebanji also restates the determination of his administration to stamp out crime and criminality from the state by making the environment unbearable for criminals. operating under whatever guise.”

Remember that on Monday, along the Eporo-Ekiti road, which separates the states of Ondo and Ekiti, gunmen suspected of being kidnappers ambushed a school bus carrying students and three teachers, including the driver.

It has been reported that the kidnappers later contacted the victims' families and demanded N100 million as ransom to free their captives.

Read: Kidnappers Want N100 Million To Release The Five Kidnapped Students, Teachers, And School Bus Driver

However, a relative of one of the kidnappees—who wishes to remain anonymous—told reporters on Thursday that the kidnappers had lowered the ransom following multiple appeals.

The family member revealed that the kidnappers had threatened to kill the victims if the ransom was not received in a timely manner.

“I spoke with the kidnappers today. They said that the ransom is now N15 million. We are still pleading with them to take N4 million, but they insisted it must be N15 million. They said we should not delay the payment because the children are already weak. They even threatened to kill them if the ransom was not paid on time,” he said.

The relative begged Nigerians, the state government, and the federal government to save the helpless children from their captors in order to assist the distressed families.

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