Abia kidnappers reduce ransom on school kids

Kidnappers of the 15 pupils of Abayi International School, Aba, had reduced their ransom to N350,000, an indication that they are willing to release the toddlers from a tortuous ordeal which has drawn worldwide condemnation.

It was further gathered that the failure to release the kids on Wednesday was as a result of multiple negotiations which the criminals were taking advantage of, possibly to make more money.

According to our source, a hamonised negotiation has been adopted, which may lead to the early release of the school children.

The Abia State commissioner of police, Jonathan Johnson, also said yesterday in Umuahia that final negotiations were going on with the abductors of the children to effect their release and save them from further mental and emotional torture that they have been subjected to since Monday, when they were snatched on their way to school.

He confirmed that the children would have been released yesterday, but for some minor hitches in the negotiations with the kidnappers, even as he appealed to Abia residents to remain calm as the children would be released soon.

The police boss said the kidnapping of the kids was his greatest challenge and one which has given him sleepless nights.

Police sources said their non confrontational negotiation with the kidnappers was the best option, so as to save the children from possible harm hurt during a shoot out, adding that if the victims were grown ups, the police would have adopted a confrontational stand.

Robbers turned kidnappers

The commissioner, who said it was difficult for him to understand why anybody could abduct kids of between three and 10 years, added that the police and the government were working together to ensure the early release of the children.

Throwing more light on how the children were kidnapped, another source said the kidnappers were not initially out to abduct them, but had used them to escape from the police who had attacked them as they were trying to rob a jeep.

According to the source, when the police swooped on them, they ran into the bush and when they saw the school bus conveying the children to school, they hijacked it to make good their escape, but might have changed their mind later after escaping with the kids.

The Abia State government has condemned the abduction and called on the kidnappers to release the kids forthwith.

The commissioner for information and strategy, ACB Agbazuere, said in Umuahia that the action was condemnable, and appealed to the hoodlums to embrace the amnesty programme and quit criminality.
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Posted: at 30-09-2010 08:21 AM (13 years ago) | Addicted Hero

They should just release the kids for Gods sake!

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Posted: at 30-09-2010 09:57 AM (13 years ago) | Hero

they should please release those innocent children,they have suffered enough

Posted: at 30-09-2010 01:20 PM (13 years ago) | Gistmaniac

HEY! CHILDREN ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF THE PICTURE EXCEPT YOU WANT TO BE A VICTIM OF THE RATH OF GOD. RELEASE THOSE KIDS AND NEXT TIME, DON'T TOIL WITH CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY ARE MORE CLOSE TO GOD THAN ANY OTHER THING. PLS LET THEM GO FAST

Posted: at 3-09-2013 09:44 AM (10 years ago) | Upcoming