Kidnappers of Nigerian Turkish staff, pupils demand N100m

Gunmen who stormed the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges have contacted the family of a matron who was abducted on Friday along with three pupils, a Turkish teacher and a school supervisor, demanding N100m ransom for each.

The kidnappers were said to have called the matron’s husband in the early hours of Sunday and warned him against involving the police in the negotiation.

This is just as the management of the school said it would engage the service of a private outfit to beef up security on the premises.

Some gunmen had invaded the college premises around 9pm on Friday through a hole they dug under the school fence and headed for the female hostel, shooting continuously.

They whisked away three pupils, two intending Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination candidates, who also worked in the school, and three other staff members, including the matron.

A combined team of operatives from Ogun Police Command, the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team and other security agencies had been patrolling the school surroundings and creeks, with a view to rescuing the victims.

Despite assurance from security agents, panic-stricken parents stormed the school on Saturday to pick their children, who were said to have been traumatised by the attack.

A source close to the matron’s family told Punch that the kidnappers had requested the husband to liaise with families of other victims to raise N100m ransom.

The source said, “The kidnappers called her (matron’s) husband early this morning (Sunday) and demanded N100m for the release of all the victims. He has been warned not to play smart. They are insisting on the sum for now.

“We are worried, but we have belief in God. We hope God will touch their heart to free all the victims. The police are also assuring us that they are on top of the situation.”

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command was not aware of any demand for ransom, stating that the victims would be rescued soon.

He said, “Our focus is to secure the release of the victims and get those hoodlums arrested. We are working towards that and we believe that very soon we are going to get them.”