THE last of the 121 students of Bethel Baptist High School who were kidnapped by bandits in July 2021 at Maraban Damishi village in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State has now regained freedom after spending two years and four months.
Treasure Ayuba was released on Friday. His long stay with the bandits may be due to the inability of his family members to raise the requested ransom.
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State while reacting to the development, expressed happiness. The governor thanked God for his divine intervention. He equally expressed gratitude to people and institutions that have been unrelenting in efforts and prayers to ensure the safe return of the abductee.
The governor also assured that the Kaduna State Government will continue to give security agencies the support required to secure schools in the state.
Kaduna is one of several states in North-West and Central Nigeria worse hit by bandits who raid villages, kill or kidnap residents, and burn homes after looting them. The gangs launch their attacks from camps in a vast forest straddling Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states.
Hostages are usually released after ransom payments by families and those who fail to find cash can be killed and their bodies dumped in the forest. Hundreds of students were kidnapped in mass school abductions in the region, including Kaduna, in the last two years.
Eighteen-Eleven Media