Respite finally came the way of pupils and teachers of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State who were brutally kidnapped as they were rescued early on Sunday by a combined team of security operatives.
The school bus driver unfortunately was killed by the daredevil kidnappers.
The children and their teachers were abducted on Monday January 29 as they were going home from school by yet to be identified criminals who also demanded n100 million ransom before the children and teachers will be released.
The abductors had threatened to kill all the children and their teachers unless the negotiated ransom was paid.
However, both the spokesman of Governor Biodun Oyebanji and the Ekiti State Police Chief on Sunday confirmed that the abductees had been released and were being attended to at the Palace of the traditional ruler of Emure.
Confirming the release of the kidnap victims, the Special Adviser on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, in a statement issued on behalf of the governor thanked President Bola Tinubu for his “support” while also congratulating the abductees for their safe return.
Part of the statement reads in part:
“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.
“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.
The kidnappers had after five days reduced the ransom from N100 million to N15 million, while the parents of the abducted children rallied to gather N4million according to a relative of one of the victims.
It is, however, not known if the kidnappers eventually accepted the N5million. Both security operatives and the government have refused to speak on whether ransom was paid or not at press time.