The kidnappers of five pupils and four staff members of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti, are threatening to kill their victims should the parents fail to pay ransom on them as quickly as possible.

The families of those abducted, on Thursday, said that the ransom had been reduced to N15 million by the kidnappers.

This came as the police announced that they had detained 13 people in connection with the suspected kidnapping and murder of two Ekiti monarchs on Monday: Oba Olatunde Olusola, the Onimojo of Imojo, and Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, the Elesun of Esun Ekiti.

Gunmen operating on the Emure-Ekiti — Iporo Ekiti road attacked a bus conveying over 25 pupils of the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools, Emure Ekiti, after closing hours.

Relatives of the victims in separate telephone interviews with one of our correspondents, said the kidnappers who initially demanded N100m, reduced it to N15m after negotiations with the families.

The families, however, said the abductors insisted on the prompt payment of the reduced ransom warning that the kidnapped children were becoming weak.

According to them, they also threatened to kill the victims, if the relatives failed to pay the ransom.

• Kidnappers’ Ransom

The Principal of the secondary section of the school, Boje Olanireti, on Tuesday said that although there were over 25 pupils in the bus, five were taken away with four  staff members.

The schoolchildren were abducted on the same day gunmen killed two Ekiti monarchs-the Onimojo of Imojo, Oba Olatunde Olusola, and the Elesun of Esun Ekiti, Oba Babatunde Ogunsakin, while the Alara of Ara Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Fatoba, narrowly escaped.

Pastor Clement Adebisi, whose wife, Mary, was among the kidnapped staff members, (in an interview The Punch) on Thursday, said the kidnappers told them to get the money on time while revealing that the children were already getting weak.

He said his wife was on the bus with his three children but the kidnappers took the woman away and left the children.

Adebisi stated,  “We just spoke with them two hours ago and they concluded that we should pay N15m. They told us that the children were already getting weak and we should find the money on time and come and take them out of their place. “

“One of my children who tried to follow her mother was beaten and thrown into the bush. It was the eldest sister that went to carry her. She even fainted twice when they got home,” he added.

Another parent, Adebisi Jegede, whose wife, Esther, and daughter Ogoolami, are among the victims, said the abductors threatened to kill their victims.

He said, “My wife is a teacher and I was the first person they called and that was the second day around 2pm. When they first called me, they said we should bring N10m each to secure their release.

‘’When they called me the second time, they started to beat my wife and the children and kept asking for money. They threatened to kill them if we did not pay the money.”

Also, Oluwadare Oniya, the father of nine-year-old Peace who is among the victims, said the kidnappers were initially offered N500,000 but they got angry and rejected it.

Also, a source, who said that about N3m had been raised so far towards the release of the kidnapped persons, said, “The gunmen are threatening that they would kill the victims if the money is not paid on time. They have asked us to bring N15m for the kidnapped persons.

“What we need now is money to secure the release of our children and wives because we just had a conversation with the kidnappers. Today, they called four to five times. They said the ransom is now 15m.”

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, Sunday Abutu, said on Thursday , said that police had arrested eight more suspects in the forests in the state in connection with the killing of two Ekiti obas.

The suspects were apprehended in the bushes and forests.

Recall that five suspects were earlier arrested by the police and other agencies in a forest on Tuesday.

The PPRO said this in a statement titled, ‘Killing of two traditional rulers and the kidnapping of school children in Ekiti State; eight more suspects arrested as the operation continues.’

Abutu listed the arrested suspects as Yaya Sumaila, Idrisu Abubakar, Hassan Abdullahi, Abdullahi Abdullahi, Haruna Abubakar, Usman Abdullahi, Haruna Sule,  including one Babusa Alhaji Lede, who was arrested inside Ayedun/ Ayebode Ekiti forest in Ikole Area of the State.

The police spokesperson stated that the security agencies in the state had intensified efforts following the recent kidnapping of some school children in Emure-Ekiti and the killing of two traditional rulers in Ikole-Ekiti.

He said that the eight suspects were arrested during the operation which was carried out in the Emure-Ekiti Forest, Ise/Ogbese Forest and Emure-Ile Forest in Ondo State as well as in the Ayedun/ Ayebode Ekiti Forest in Ikole Area of the state.

In a related development, the Nigeria Police Force has arrested 13 suspects in connection with the killing of two monarchs and the abduction of five pupils and four other staff members.

The police high command revealed that the suspects, who were arrested following preliminary investigations, are currently assisting the force with the investigation process.

This was as the Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, on Thursday, ordered the immediate deployment of Assistant Inspector General of Police, Abiodun Asabi to Zone 17, Akure, Ondo State, alongside additional personnel and assets.

The Zone 17 zonal command of the Nigeria Police Force headquartered in Akure, Ondo State, has a total land mass of about 21,853 square kilometres and comprises Ondo and Ekiti State police commands.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement, noted that the deployments aimed to ensure swift restoration of peace and order in the affected areas.

Adejobi said, “The Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, strongly condemns the recent killing of two traditional rulers – Oba Olusola Olatunji, the Olumojo of Imojo-Ekiti, and Oba David Ogunsakin, the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti in Ekiti State, and the abduction of school pupils and teachers in Emure-Ekiti.

“The IG has therefore taken immediate steps to address the security challenges in the region. To ensure the swift restoration of peace and order, the IG has ordered the immediate deployment of Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Abiodun Asabi to Zone 17 Akure, along with additional personnel and assets.

“The newly posted AIG has been tasked with overseeing a comprehensive and coordinated security response to bring an end to the unfortunate security incidents in Ekiti, and parts of Ondo State and ensure proper coordination among security agencies for optimum effectiveness in tackling the security concerns within Ekiti State.

“The Inspector-General expresses his deepest condolences to the Government and people of Ekiti State, the families and loved ones of the deceased traditional rulers whose lives were tragically cut short during these incidents.

“Preliminary investigations have led to the arrest of 13 suspects who are currently assisting the Police with the investigation process.

“The Inspector-General of Police hereby reiterates the commitment of the NPF to ensuring that justice is served, and those responsible for these heinous acts are brought to book while assuring the public that every necessary measure will be taken to apprehend the perpetrators and prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

“Members of the public are urged to remain calm, vigilant, and cooperative with the police and other security agencies, as we work to restore peace and security to the affected areas.”

The IG also met with the Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Oyebanji, and the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, at the force headquarters on Wednesday.

The meeting focused on the circumstances surrounding the violent attacks that occurred in Emure-Ekiti.

This was as President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, ordered the IG to ensure that the perpetrators were arrested and prosecuted.

The Force Public Relations Officer, in a statement on Thursday, said, following the President’s order, the IG has ordered the deployment of a police helicopter, Armoured Personnel Carriers, the Intelligence Response Team and Special Tactical Squad operatives and the Mobile Force personnel, to argument the manpower already deployed in Ekiti State for special operations.

He noted that the IG expressed the unrelenting commitment of the force to addressing the challenge, ensuring that the perpetrators are brought to book and the kidnapped pupils rescued unhurt.

Meanwhile, the Ekiti Council of Elders has expressed deep shock over the recent attack and killing of two monarchs in Ekiti State.

The council also condemned the kidnap of innocent school children and their minders at Emure Ekiti.

The council’s President, Prof. Joseph Oluwasanmi; and General Secretary, Niyi Ajibulu, in a statement said, “We thought we were hospitable hosts, but we are tragically now being held hostage.”

Oluwasanmi and Ajibulu, in the statement in Ado Ekiti titled, ‘Regicide and kidnapping and Ekiti,’ said, “We wish to remind the government at all levels that these free-ranging marauders are daring indigenes everywhere to resort to self-help as best they can by their ongoing projection of these governments as incapable of ensuring the security of lives and property. Needless to say, this is an unedifying indictment.’’

Also, the Joint Security Committee of Emure, Ise/Orun and Ikere Local Governments called for quick rehabilitation of the bad roads in the state which the criminals took advantage of to perpetrate crimes.

In a communique signed by the JSC Chairman, Tunji Falana and General Secretary, Niyi Okunniga at the end of the JSC Summit which was held at Ikere Ekiti on Wednesday and made available on Thursday, the committee canvassed “the use of technology (drone) to track the criminals in the forests, followed by mop up (bush combing).”

Frontline monarch and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, lamented the spate of insecurity in the country, saying “it calls for urgent attention from all tiers of government.’’

Oba Adejugbe, who commiserated with the people of Imojo, Esun Ekiti and Ekiti State in general, over the demise of their monarchs, said it is disheartening and an abomination to take the lives of kings in such a wicked manner.”

“The traditional institution is sacred and must be treated as such. Monarchs don’t deserve gruesome death in the course of serving their people,’’ the statement read in part.

Credit: The Punch