The nine abducted Ekiti schoolchildren and their teachers have been released by their captors on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the children were released at about 2am on Sunday after spending six days in captivity.
It was however learnt that of the nine persons kidnapped, only eight came back alive, as the driver of the school bus, Taye Rasaki, was reportedly killed in captivity.
A video evidence of the children and their teachers after their release was made available to NAN by dependable sources in the community.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Ekiti, DSP Sunday Abutu, also confirmed the release of the children and death of the driver.
“All victims were rescued today in the early ours of today, Sunday, but unfortunately, we lost the driver who was suspected to have been killed by the abductors,” he added.
Abutu did not however say whether the victims were rescued by the police and if the families actually paid ransom for their freedom as demanded by the kidnappers.
The spokesman said that the police would continue to hunt for the kidnappers.
“Though some arrests have been made in recent past, our operations shall continue as we want to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law”, he said.
NAN recalls that six pupils, two teachers and a driver of Apostolic Faith Church Primary and Secondary School, Emure were abducted in Eporo while being transported home after the school hours.
The abductors had on Wednesday demanded N100 million ransom, but the amount was reportedly reduced to N15 million.
A source however said the families of the abducted victims were able to raise N7million, which the abductors turned down.
It is not clear if the families eventually paid the N15 million ransom as demanded by the kidnappers.
SCHOOL BUS DRIVER
Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti has expressed sadness over killing of Mr Olugbaye Taiwo, Bus Driver of the abducted pupils of Apostolic Faith Nursery and Primary school, Emure Ekiti.
Oyebanji in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, consoled the family of the late driver, assuring that the perpetrators of the crime would be apprehended and brought to book.
Taiwo was reportedly killed by the kidnappers while in their custody.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the school pupils and their teachers were released on Sunday morning, and are receiving medical treatment at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti.
The governor said security agencies in the state had been put on red alert, adding that government would not relent in its efforts to rid the state of criminal elements.
