Kidnap
…says ransom paid but they are still in captivity
By Ibrahim HassanWuyo
The Christian Solidarity Worldwide Nigeria (CSWN), has expressed worry over the four school children and their teacher, who were forcefully abducted by armed men from their school in August,2020.
The group said although ransom was paid, the children and teachers have continued to be held in captivity.
Mr. Reuben Buhari ,the Press Officer of the organization ,in a statement, listed Ezra Bako, 17; Miracle Saitu Danjuma, 15; Favour Danjuma, 10; Happiness Odoji, 16 and their teacher, Miss Christiana Madugu, 29, as those abducted on 24 August from Prince Academy School in Damba-Kasanya, Chikun Local Government Area (LGA), Kaduna State, where they went to write their Junior Secondary School (JSS) examinations.
“The rural school, situated about 30 km east of Kaduna city, was attacked around 7: 30 am. Gunmen rode into the village on motorcycles shooting sporadically, and abducted the teacher and the four after killing a young man named Benjamin Auta whose house was close to the school. They also burnt down the community’s Baptist’s Church as they left the village. ”
“CSWN is dismayed that 39 days later, these young children – three girls, one boy – whose only crime was seeking to advance their education, are still being held along with their teacher by kidnappers who have allegedly refused to release them despite the payment of some ransom money by family members.”
“CSWN is calling on the Nigerian authorities, and particularly the Kaduna State Government, to take urgent action to ensure the prompt release of these school children and their teacher, who were still held in horrible conditions for over a month.”
READ ALSO: Man, 72, in Police net for defiling 7-year-old girl in Ogun
The Chief Executive Officer of CSWN, Rev. Yunusa Sabo Nmadu, commenting on the ongoing plight of the school children and their teacher said: “The fact that these children and their teacher have been held in inhumane conditions since August and despite payments by their families underscores the urgent need for the Kaduna state government and the security agencies to deploy all its resources and manpower to expedite their release.
” Their continuing captivity in such appalling circumstances is a sad indictment of the failure of the authorities to protect the most vulnerable in society,” he said.
“CSWN empathizes with the parents of the children and the teacher’s family, and we are praying for a swift end to their ordeal and to that of other families whose loved ones are in captivity as a result of the current levels of insecurity in the country.”
“These abductions also underline the vital need for those in authority to create a safe educational environment for children in order to ensure the right to education for all, in line with Nigeria’s obligations under national, regional and international laws,” he stated.
