JUST IN: Abducted students of Al-Qalam University finally released

Abducted students of Al-Qalam University in Katsina State who were kidnapped by terrorists in January have been released.

This was confirmed by the father of one of the abductees who revealed that the students regained their freedom on Wednesday night after spending 30 days in the terrorists’ den.

The victims, Habiba Shatali, a 200-level of Political Science student, Mariam Musa, a 400-level Microbiology student and Yusuf Abdulazeez, a 400-level Mathematics student, were abducted around Kurfi, Dutsinma on January 14, 2024, while heading back to school from Minna, the Niger State capital.

The trio travelled home for the Christmas and New Year break but met at the motor park in Minna where they agreed to travel together back to school.

Sadly, they were waylaid by gunmen suspected to be bandits on their way to school.

Eighteen days after the abduction of the students, the parents of two of them – Maryam and Habiba – in a letter to the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Umoru Mohammed Bago, urged him to urgently intervene.

They pleaded with the governor to ensure the release of their children.

“I’m pleased to inform you that my daughter whom had been in captivity over a month had regain her freedom alongside others, yesterday night 14, February, 2024 at about 8pm.

“Both are all in good health as at present,” the father of one of the victims said.

The bandits had contacted the parents and demanded a ransom of N100 million to secure the release of each student but later reduced the ransom figure to N50 million and later down to N25 million.

A source on condition of anonymity revealed that while the students were still in captivity said, “The kidnappers have now reduced the ransom and agreed to collect N25 million on each student but till today we have not heard anything from the Katsina State Government and Commissioner of Police. Nobody is talking to us on the matter. As we speak no parents have been able to raise the money.”

The public also condemned the uncaring and insensitive attitude of the government towards the plight of the affected students and called for a holistic approach to rescuing the victims.

The Secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Students in Niger State, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, urged the state government to work with the Katsina State Government to fast-track the release of the students who have been languishing in captivity for two weeks.

He expressed confidence that the Niger State Government was doing everything possible to ensure the safe return of the students.