PARENTS OF KIDNAPPED STUDENTS OF FORESTRY IN KADUNA GIVES GOVERNMENT 48 HOURS TO RESCUE THEIR CHILDREN

Parents of the abducted students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization on Monday blocked Mando Expressway, asking the Government to rescue their children within 48 hours.

Recall that on March 11, bandits invaded the school located at Mando, in Igabi Local Government Area, a few metres away from the Airforce training school and kidnapped 39 students from their dorms.

The following day after their abduction, the bandits released a video showing the students who were scantily dressed, crying and appealing to the Government to accede to the demands of their abductors.

Visibly distraught parents told newsmen on Monday that neither the government nor the school has briefed them on efforts to rescue their children who have so far spent 10 days in captivity. 

Mr Friday Sani, the spokesperson for the 39 abducted students, made the following statement to newsmen:

“We have called this press conference to address the world on the excruciatingly painful development surrounding the kidnap of 39 of our sons and daughters, students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna, Nigeria.

“The bandits had a field day on the night of capture and for over an hour carried out their nefarious activity largely unchallenged until the military came after 3 batches of students had been taken out of the college through the perimeter fence.

“Not a single one of the 39 abducted students has been rescued. We have put our trust in the government and school authority to rescue the students in good time and safely, but that has not happened.

“It is now 12 dark dreary days since the unfortunate incident happened and we as parents have not received any positive message from either the school management, the Minister of Environment under whose ministry the school is or the Kaduna State Government under whose territorial jurisdiction the school is located. This silence is unacceptable as it only feeds our hopelessness with each passing day.”

Sani added, “We have therefore called for this press conference to call the attention of Government at State and Federal levels and all stakeholders involved, and indeed the world, to act with dispatch to ensure the immediate and safe release of our children.

“We have seen this kind of ugly event happen in Katsina, Zamfara and Niger states and swiftly the governments acted and ensured the safe and timely rescue of the victims, so why is the case of the Afaka 39 different? Why should our innocent children pay for the failure of government to provide security of life and property? Or is it now a crime to seek education in schools?

“Let us not forget that the students were taken in bad shape – some were barely covering themselves, especially the ladies. This is a dangerous thing and should have made the government to act faster.

“We do not think enough is being done. Indeed, the failure, negligence or refusal of the government to keep us in the loop as regards the measures they are taking as well as subsequent kidnap of students in Kaduna state has heightened our anxiety on the safety of our children.

“We also call on the Human Rights Organizations, NGOs, NBA, ASUU, the United Nations, and all well meaning Nigerians and citizens of the world, to rise together with us and prevail on the authorities to ensure the speedy rescue of the Afaka 39. Unless that is done, we will continue to hold the feet of the authorities to the fire until our children return safely.

Credit: EONS Intelligence