Police rescue six persons kidnapped in University of Abuja

There are indications that six people kidnapped by bandits at the University of Abuja staff quarters on Tuesday have been rescued successfully.

A staff of the University confirmed that the victims were rescued at Abaji, along Abuja-Lokoja Expressway.

The staff said this was achieved with the help of the Police and local vigilante.

“The rescued victims are currently at the Abaji police station,” the staff said. On Tuesday morning, some unspecified number of bandits invaded the staff quarters of the University located at Giri, along Abuja-Lokoja Expressway, attacked staff and their family members, and made away with six people.

The attack sent strong fears and panic among students and lecturers of the school, who had before now registered their concerns about the poor state of security in the school and its environs, particularly the increasing number of strange faces and movements within the school campus.

Some of the frightened residents threatened to vacate the staff quarters as quickly as possible because of the fear of further attacks by the bandits.

The abducted persons include a nine-year-old son of Prof. Bassey Ubong and his housemaid, one Deputy Registrar identified as Malam Mohammed Sambo, one Prof. Sumaila Obansa Joseph with his son and one Dr. Tobins Ferguson Hamilton.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, Chairman and members of the Governing Council, and other management staff of the school as well as the police and detachment of soldiers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were the early callers at the venue of the attack.

Students at both at the mini and main campuses of the University were seen in groups discussing the development, with fear and anxiety written all over their face.

Victims and eyewitnesses told journalists that the bandits, undoubtedly, took advantage of the porosity of the school community, gained entry into the staff quarters through the unfenced part of the quarters, and begun to unleash terror on the residents.

They confirmed that the operation started few minutes past 12am on Tuesday, and lasted for …

Bandits confirm 121 Bethel Baptist School pupils in their custody

Abductors of pupils of Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State have said the have 121 of them in their custody.

The President of Kaduna Baptist Conference and Proprietor of the school, Rev. Yahaya Adamu Jangado, revealed this.

Jangado announced this while addressing reporters on Tuesday after a meeting of the management and parents of the abducted students in Kaduna.

He said: “They came and, already, the bandits were going away with a number of our students and there was an exchange of fire between the soldiers and the bandits.

“For now, we know that we have 154 students in the school hostel, as at yesterday (Monday), after the exchange of fire between the soldiers and the bandits.

“We came to the school and recovered 28 students; some of them hid in many places.

“In the course of taking them away, some students escaped and came back to the school.

“So, the total number of students we recovered on Monday was 28.

“Today (Tuesday), by the grace of God, we had a call from the bandits and they assured us that our children are well and doing okay.

“In fact, we had the privilege of speaking with a few of them.

“They counted themselves in the jungle and they gave us information that they are 121.

“When we put the number together with what we have recovered, we discovered that the number is exactly the same with the number of students we had in the hostel.”

On ransom demand, Jangado said: “They (bandits) called us to say that our children are there with them and that they were doing well.

“They were sound.

“We spoke with a few of them.

“That is the information for now.

“We called the parents here to appreciate them for their patience, understanding and calmness and also solicit their support in this trying moment.

“We assure them that as management we will do anything possible to bring back their children.”…