Kidnappers demand N100m ransom for Ekiti pupils, teachers

Kidnappers of five pupils and four members of staff of Apostolic Faith Group of Schools in Ekiti have demanded N100 million as ransom for their freedom.

The principal of the secondary section of the school, Boje Olanireti, was reported by THE PUNCH newspaper to have confirmed the development on Tuesday.

The victims were kidnapped on Monday in the Emure community in Ekiti State.

This happened on the same day gunmen killed two Ekiti monarchs-the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, while the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, narrowly escaped.

The traditional rulers were returning from a function in Kogi State when their vehicles ran into the suspected kidnappers who were operating on the highway between Ipao and Oke Ako in the Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

Speaking with THE PUNCH, Olanireti said: “The students were over 25 on the bus when the incident happened. When the gunmen attacked them, they shot the tyre of the vehicle and asked the children to come out of the bus. They asked all of them to lie down. They picked five students and four staff members. They, after that, asked others to go.”

According to the principal, the five students comprise two from the secondary (school) and three from primary school while the four staff comprise two teachers, one driver and one bus assistant.

Olanireti added, “By the time they opened communication, they first called the husband of one of the teachers and demanded N10 million for each kidnapped victim. But when they later called the headmaster, they demanded N100m for all of them.”