Gunmen that abducted at least 21 staff and students of Greenfield University, Kasarami, Chikun local government of Kaduna state, Wednesday contacted families of the victims, demanding millions of naira as ransom for their release.
Unconfirmed sources said the abductors are demanding for a sun of N800m, threatening to kill the student if the money is not paid.
The gunmen attacked the university situated at km34, Kaduna-Abuja highway about 9:30pm Tuesday night and abducted unknown number of students and staff.
They also shot to death a porter of the male hostel, Mr Paul Ude Okafor, while he was trying to prevent the gunmen from gaining access to the male hostel by locking the gate.
One of the students rescued by the troops of Operation Thunder Strike told Blueprint that the bandits aged between 17 and 20 stormed the university around 9:30pm Tuesday. The student (name withheld) said the bandits came from different directions due to the porous nature of the school, burgled some doors and whisked away the students and staff.
He said the matron of the female students’ hostel, Mrs. Beatrice was abducted alongside the students, most of whom are females. Blueprint gathered that at least 21 staff and students were abducted. Those abducted are made up of 14 girls, six boys and the matron.
He said: “The bandits are young boys, but they were fully armed. They came in shooting sporadically into the air. They hit some of the students inflicting injuries on them and killed our porter and went away with some of our colleagues.
“I don’t know the specific number, but I know they are mostly girls including the matron. The porter was shot when he was trying to close the gate against the bandits to protect us,” he said.
Blueprint learnt that the kidnappers have contacted some family members of their captives asking them for millions in ransom to release their wards, but seemingly no agreement has yet been reached.
The university registrar, Malam Bashir Muhammad, also confirmed that parents have been contacted for ransom, but he did not disclose the amount demanded.
Some of the parents of the abducted students were seen at the scene of the attack looking downcast and unable to speak to the media. They were seen in groups discussing possible way out.
The registrar, who was at the Operation Thunder Strike camp where the rescued students were kept before they were released to their parents, said he will not speak on the matter based on an order given to him by the university’s pro-chancellor.
He noted that the school management will speak on the matter on or before Friday when details of what transpired may have been ascertained.
Meanwhile, Kaduna state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, confirmed the killing of a staff and abduction of unspecified number of students of Greenfield University.
Aruwan said: “Last night, the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs received distress calls of an attack by armed bandits on the Greenfield University, situated at Kasarami, off the Kaduna-Abuja Road in Chikun LGA.
“Troops of Operation Thunder Strike and other operatives swiftly moved to the location and the armed bandits retreated. After search and rescue operations, a staff member of the university, Paul Ude Okafor, was confirmed to have been killed by the armed bandits, while a number of students were kidnapped.
“The security operatives took custody of the remaining students who have been handed over to the institution, as at noon today, Wednesday.
“The actual number of students kidnapped is still being sought from the institution’s records. Troops and other security operatives are working in the general area, and the public will be informed of further developments,” Aruwan said.
