JUST IN: Abducted Niger Islamic school children regain freedom after 89 days

Some 76 of the abducted children of Tanko Salihu Islamic School, Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, have regained their freedom after spending 89 days in kidnappers’ den.

ElombahNews was informed that several of the children, with ages ranging from four to ten, died while in captivity.

Earlier, this medium was informed that yesterday, the parents of the abducted pupils raised an extra N23.2 million to pay the N70 million ransom demanded by the bandits.

Recall that the bandits made fresh demand of N20 million after the initial N50 million demanded.

A parent of one of the 134 children still in captivity said the parents were running around and begging people to support them to raise the extra ransom being demanded by the kidnappers in order to get the children out.

“We are now looking for N23.2 million; N20 million is the additional ransom, N3 million is to purchase the six motorcycles demanded by the abductors and N200,000 to convey the motorcycles to their village,” the parent said.

A report, however, said that parents of the Tegina pupils paid another N6.6 million after the initial N50 million and gave six new Bajaj motorcycles before the pupils were freed.

The children were abducted by gunmen suspected to be bandits on May 30, 2021.

Some teachers and workers of the school were also abducted alongside 136 children.

Many of the workers after some weeks in captivity escaped along with two of the schoolchildren.

“Terrorists have got cash and more “tools”, and they know that nothing will happen to them. You can guess what’s coming,” a source said.

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