Students Abducted From Taraba University Released

TWO weeks ago, 2 students from Federal University Wukari were kidnapped; they are now free.

Ashu Agbu, the institution's Head of the Information and Protocol Unit, made this announcement.

Agbu confirmed on Friday, April 12, that the students had been released from captivity after a few days, but he did not elaborate on the details of their release.

The students, Obianu Elizabeth from the Department of Microbiology and Joshua Sardauna from the Department of Economics, were taken on April 3 in an attempt to retake their exams because of carryover from the previous session.

Prior to this, the kidnappers had sought N50 million in ransom; it is unclear if this was ever paid.

The two students were abducted while dining at a nearby vendor's store on campus by armed men who were thought to be Fulani herders.

Francisca Chioma, a student at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, was abducted in a different incident and freed after being held captive for five days.

She and a friend were kidnapped by attackers in the Omasiunu area while she was traveling to a burial.

Chief Security Officer of UNIZIK Ken Chukwurah claims that Chioma was set free on April 10 after a ransom was paid. The ransom was originally demanded to be N10 million, but it was eventually negotiated down to N2 million.

Chioma narrated how she and her friend were entangled in the event and were not the intended targets of the kidnappers.

An academic doctor and a family member of the visitors were allegedly the attackers' targets.

The abductors attacked and kidnapped the victim after discovering that she was their main target and was using public transportation.

The kidnappers then took Chioma and her friend with them, and they took them all the way to Nsukka in Enugu State.

The main target was asked to pay N20 million by the kidnappers during negotiations; however, the exact amount paid has not been made public.