The Embattled students
of Igbonla prolonged nightmare and suspense of 65 days of long walk in the hands of its assailants has finally
ended in their freedom after going through thick and thin. The tragedy of how gunmen came through the
creek at the back of their school in the early hours of Thursday, May 25 that
was terminated yesterday as they were left off the hook by notorious America’s
comrade in arm is not something that would leave early in the memory of those
students
Urban express online learnt
that those kidnapper decided to free the students
after it leader ‘’America’’ had gun duel with men of Nigeria navy which he
America eventually lost his life. Apparently destabilized after the shoot-out
that claims the life of the said leader of the gang, coming with heavy heat on their side with tendency of getting the rest of them arrested, other members of
the gang decided to free the children
namely- Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George,
Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf.
‘America’, who had
refused to release the children after a ransom of N31million was
said to have been paid, evidently overreached himself,
as he demanded more cash and issued fresh conditions for their freedom.
He
had threatened to kidnap more persons if the Federal Government failed to grant
him amnesty and release some of his colleagues arrested and locked up in
prison.
To
pass his message across, he was said to have dared to snatch a gunboat
belonging to the Navy but was gunned down in process.
Although,
there is no corpse to prove that the militant leader is truly dead, sources
close to the militants confirmed to urban express news online that he is indeed dead.
It
was gathered that as soon as news of his death hit the creeks, Promise, another
militant who is said to be the one in charge of the safety of the children
decided that it was time to send students home.
Although
there were pressures amongst the militant leaders in Delta State to keep the
children and ask for more money, urban express news online learnt that Promise decided to contact the Lagos State
Government when he learnt that special forces deployed by the Inspector General
of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had traced and arrested members of his family. He
promised handing the hostages over yesterday morning.
However,
there was a bit of delay due to the inability of the kidnappers and security
agencies to agree on a spot safe enough for the militants to drop the children
and escape.
After
some negotiations, it was agreed that the kids would be dropped in Ondo State.
However around 10.50am Friday, the militants reportedly sent an alert that
their boat was about to sink. They threatened that if a boat was not urgently
sent to them, they would return with the children to Delta State where they had
kept them.
Luckily,
the Ondo State Government stepped in and the children were later picked from
Aboto Creek in Ilaje Local Government area by men of the state Police Command
and other security operatives as well as officials attached to the Office of
the state’s Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi.
An
earlier plan for the kids to visit Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State was
shelved on their way to Akure as they were moved down to Lagos.
It
could not be ascertained if any arrests were made, but police officers were
said to be combing Aboto Creek, its environs and other riverine towns in the
state for the kidnappers.
The
state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Femi Joseph, said the police
from the Lagos Command led the joint operation, with the collaboration of the
two state governments.
He
thus referred inquiries to the Lagos State Command, which, he explained, was in
a better position to give details on how the students were released.
Excited parent of one of the student, thanked God Almighty for their safe return. Still anticipating
their physical reunion, he said: “I am grateful to God Almighty, the Giver of
life. I was told that they have been handed over to government and officials of
Lagos State Government. I am waiting to see them first to be sure that it is not
a dream. We were told that they are in Ondo State and that the police will
contact us when they are able to bring them to Lagos.
“May
God bless all the security agencies who stood by us all these horrifying days.
We thank the Nigerian government for their intervention and we thank Nigerians
for their prayers. I can’t wait to see my boy.”
Lagos
State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, in a
statement, congratulated the parents of the students and all concerned
stakeholders over the development.
Ayorinde
said the students would undergo series of medical tests and trauma therapy
before being reunited with their families.
“This
is a welcome development and the state government has always believed that the
students will be released unhurt. The news of their release is therefore a
confirmation of that belief and we are glad that they will be reuniting with
their families,” Ayorinde said.
He
reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of
lives and property of residents in the state, adding that it had already beefed
up security in schools to prevent a re-occurrence.
“It
is on record that the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration has invested
massively on equipment and welfare of security personnel so as to ensure that
the state remains safe for residents and investors.
“This
government has already taken giant steps to secure all our schools, especially
those in the suburbs and riverine areas, and we are confident that the steps
taken so far will go a long way in nipping a repeat of such in the bud,”
Ayorinde said.
The
Commissioner also quoted the governor as commending the efforts of security
agencies who worked tirelessly to ensure the safe release and return of the
students.
Throughout
their 65 days in captivity, the whereabouts of the boys was unknown, even as
government and the police continually assured that they were safe.
The
N31 million paid ransom included an initial N10million from the
parents supplemented by the Lagos State Government after the
kidnappers threatened to kill the hostages if their demand for N100 million
reduced from initial N400 million was not paid.
They
had also earlier demanded an extra N1.5million for transportation
before they would release the boys.
Security
operatives had attributed the kidnap to ‘America’, the militant who took over
leadership of the criminal gang once commanded by Ossy, a dreaded militant
commander earlier killed in a botched operation. ‘America’ is reputed to be the
mastermind of the January abduction of staff and students of the Turkish
International College that yielded a N50-million ransom.
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