Abductors of students of Greenfield University, in Kaduna, have contacted the families of the 20 students who were kidnapped on Tuesday night to demanding ₦800 million as ransom to free the students.
Going by the official Central Bank of Nigeria rate the money being demanded is about $2million.
According to a relation of one of the students who spoke with newsmen, the terrorists have also threatened to kill the students if the ransom is not paid.
20 students, made up of 14 females and six males were captured by the terrorists on Tuesday night.
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Two female staff of the university were also abducted.
The relation of one of the victims also claimed that the abductors have been beating the students, insisting on the urgency of the payment.
The abduction at Greenfield University was the second at a tertiary institution in Kaduna state since March.
On 11 March, 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, in Kaduna were also abducted. Ten of them have been released.
Mr. Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, said in a statement on Wednesday in Kaduna that troops have been deployed to the area of the university.
‘After search-and-rescue operations, a staff member of the university was confirmed to have been killed by the 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, Wednesday 21st April.’
Aruwan said 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.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK