Rev Yahaya Adamu Jangado, the Proprietor of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, where students were abducted on Monday, disclosed on Tuesday that the bandits called to say that the students are in safe hands.
Rev Jangado said that the bandits gave him the opportunity to speak with a couple of the students who informed him that there are 121 of them being held, hostage.
Speaking with reporters, the proprietor stated: “The bandits called us to say that our children are there with them, they are doing well, they are sound, we spoke with a few of them, which is the information for now.
“The total number of students we recovered yesterday (Monday) was 28 and today, by the grace of God, we had a call from the bandits and they assured us that our children are well and doing okay. In fact we had the privilege of speaking with few of them. They counted themselves in the jungle and they gave us information that they are 121 and when we put the number together with what we have recovered, we discovered that the number is exactly the same with the number of students we have in the hostel.
“For now, we know that we have 154 students in the school hostel and yesterday (Monday) after the exchange of fire between the soldiers and the bandits. We came to the school and recovered 28 students, some of them hid in many places. Some of them in the course of taking them away, they escaped and they came back to the school. We called the parents to appreciate them for their patience, understanding and calmness and also solicit for their support in this trying moment. We assured them that as management we will do anything possible to bring back their children.
“I want to thank God because the parents are understanding. We are working together to see what we can do. For now we do not know what the bandits will say. They may call for ransom and we may have to negotiate and we have also agreed with the parents to work together in prayers and look up to God in this matter. We have informed Government about the matter and we had meeting with them also and they promised us that they would do everything possible to go for rescue mission and make sure the students are back,” the proprietor stated.