By John Ikani
Bandits, who invaded Maraban Rido in the Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday and abducted some students of the Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, have reached out to the management of the institution to demand foodstuffs.
Heritage Times gathered that the hoodlums asked for food items such as rice, beans, seasoning and oil to feed the students.
A member of the school management, who confided in newsmen on Tuesday, stated that the bandits said 121 students of the school were in their custody.
According to the school official, the bandits first called on Monday and allowed one of the students to speak to a top member of the school management.
It was learnt that they called again on Tuesday and allowed two senior students, a boy and a girl, to speak to a top official of the school.
It was gathered that the senior students confirmed that there were 121 of them with the bandits.
The official told newsmen that “When the phone rang, the bandits first spoke to the member of the management. They said a senior student was directed to count the students in their custody and the boy confirmed that 121 students were being held. They also asked for food such as rice and beans as well oil to feed the students.
“Later, the senior student, who counted the abductees, said there were 121 of them with the bandits.”
The management of the school and parents of the abducted students met on Tuesday on ways to rescue the abductees.
This was just as the school management confirmed that 121 students were being held by the bandits.
The proprietor of the school, who is also the President, Kaduna Baptist Conference, Rev Ishaya Jangado, made the confirmation.
The meeting lasted several hours amidst threat by the parents to embark on another round of protest and block the Kaduna-Kachia Highway, where the school is located.
The parents, mostly women, had indeed blocked the highway before operatives of the Kaduna State Vigilante Service prevailed on them to abandon the protest.
The parents also held a prayer session for God’s intervention in the rescue of their children from the kidnappers’ den.
