Five out of the 39 kidnapped students abducted by bandits at the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state have regained their freedom.
This is coming 25 days that the students were abducted from their hostels by the gunmen dressed in military uniform.
Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, in a statement said the five students were recovered by troops of the Nigerian Army on Monday afternoon.
“The Nigerian military has informed the Kaduna State Government that five of the many kidnapped students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna were recovered this afternoon and are presently in a military facility where they are undergoing a thorough medical check-up.
“The Kaduna State Government will provide updates on further operational feedback to be received on this case,” the statement read.
Parents of the abducted students had earlier vowed to go ahead with negotiation with the bandits to secure the release of their children irrespective of the stand of the Kaduna state government against doing so.
The government had eon Sunday vowed to prosecute anyone caught negotiating with bandits on its behalf, maintaining the earlier position that it will not pay any ransom or negotiate the bandits, but wipe them out.
In reaction to this warning by the state government, Chairman of Afaka parents Association, Samuel Kambai on Monday said the parents will do anything possible to get the children out of captivity including negotiating with the bandits no matter the consequences.
