Kidnappers Demand N1.2bn to Release Abducted NTIC Students, Staff

• Sun DMD: I don’t know where  I will get N100m

By Sheriff Balogun in Abeokuta and Chiemelie Ezeobi 

Two days after some gunmen stormed the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) in Ogun State and abducted eight persons, the gang was yesterday said to have made a ransom demand of N1.2billion for their release.

The kidnappers were said to have placed a N300million ransom on each of the two Turkish nationals and then N100million each on the six other abductees.

According to family sources, the kidnappers have been using one of the victims’ phone number to call the respective families. 

It was said that each time the families tried to renegotiate the huge sum, the kidnappers would  pick offence and end the call.

Already, the CCTV footages obtained by the school showed the kidnappers wearing masks to cover their faces, thus making it difficult to identify them.

Among the kidnaped students were two Junior Secondary School (JSS) students, one Senior Secondary School (SSS) student, three Nigerian workers and two Turkish staff.

They were abducted at about 9:30p.m. on Friday, when the kidnappers dug through the fence and entered through a back door.

In a statement signed but the spokesperson of the school, one Cemal Yigit, the school said, “At about 9.30pm, a group of people armed with dangerous weapons gained entrance to the girls section through different means and held three female supervisors, a female cook, a female teacher (Turkish) and three students.

“The school security noticed some movement on the CCTV camera at the girls section and promptly deployed security personnel and alerted the relevant security agencies in the area as is customary.

“Upon hearing the security alarm activated and sighting our security personnel, the armed invaders opened fire on the security staff and managed to escape through a very dangerous route with the hostages.

“The security agencies are currently on their trail as the whole area has been cordoned off. We wish to assure parents and guardians that the students and teacher will return to safety as soon as possible.

“Everything possible has been deployed to ensure that our teachers and students return unhurt by God’s grace.”

It was revealed yesterday night that the second daughter of the Deputy Managing Director of The Sun Newspapers, Mr Steve Nwosu, is among the students kidnapped at the school.

 Nwosu, whose wife – Oluwatoyin was abducted by gunmen in their Isolo home in 2015, disclosed to journalists that his second daughter was among the kidnapped students.

According to him, “I don’t know where I will get a N100million ransom.”