The families of the students of the University of Nigeria who were kidnapped on their way to Nsukka have been asked to pay the sum of N300 million for the victims to regain their freedom.
Recall that suspected herdsmen had on Sunday abducted an unverified number of passengers of a bus which include students along the Ugwuogo-Nike/Opi/Nsukka Road.
Although the number of victims is unclear, sources said they were more than 10.
The abductors have reportedly started contacting family members of their hostages.
According to a relation of one of the victims who spoke on Wednesday evening, the abductors contacted his family and demanded they collectively raise N300 million to secure the release of their victims.
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He stated that the kidnappers were seven in number and added that they are of Fulani origin.
He said the abductors rejected the N500,000 offered as a ransom to secure the release of the students. They instead, asked them to start preparing for their burial if “we’ll even see their bodies to bury.”
“They are now threatening that they will kill all of them if the money is not complete.”
It was learnt that some passengers were killed a few metres from the military checkpoint along Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka Road on Sunday.
The passengers were reportedly travelling in five vehicles when they were attacked by the gang. Some narrowly escaped.
Many of the passengers were students of the University of Nigeria, who were returning to school following the suspension of eight months of industrial action by lecturers and the subsequent resumption of academic activities.