Igbonla College kidnap: Parents storm Ambode’s office

After 14 days of hoping and waiting in vain to have their children back home, parents of the kidnapped students of Igbonla College, Epe,Wednesday, staged a protest to the office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, demanding the immediate release of their children.

The parents said they were incapable of raising the N100 million ransom being demanded by the kidnappers, even as they accused the state government of leaving the families in the dark regarding what is being done to secure the safe rescue of the six children.

“Nobody from the government has come to us since the incident occurred two weeks ago, we did not come here with placards because we want government to help us. The government should help us. We have been trying to negotiate with them but they rejected our offer because it is too small,” said Dapo Adesega, spokesperson of the distraught parents.

Adesega, who said they have been left to their faith since the kidnap of their children further lamented: “If you don’t communicate with us, how do we know that the government cares? If we had not come here today, we won’t have heard anything from the government.”

He said they kidnappers had stopped communicating with the families. “They said we cannot speak with our children again as four of them are ill. We want government to help us, we are trusting in you. Our kids are not allowed to talk to us again, I took my child to a government school, so the government should help us,” he stated.

Also, a woman who refused to give her name, but was seen sobbing, called on the state government to get her child identified as Isiaka out of the kidnappers’ den immediately.

Toyin Philips, mother of Pelumi, a 17-year old student also kidnapped from the school, was seen weeping and demanding government’s intervention in the situation.

“I want my son back. I sent my son to the school because there was no money. If I had the money they are demanding for, would I have sent my son to that school?” She asked.

“We are the one negotiating with the kidnappers. The kidnappers said they wanted N100 million. Government, please, don’t let our children die. Let their release be done today,” lamented another parent, Agbaosi, whose son Judah, is among those kidnapped.

Another parent, Moruf Ramon, whose 19-year-old son Isiaka Ramon is still being held, lamented that the kidnappers had refused to negotiate with them any further on the grounds of inability to raise the money being demanded by the kidnappers.

He said there was no way they could raise N100 million, adding that so far, the parents offered to give the kidnappers N10 million they raised, but that they rejected it.

Officials of the government who addressed the parents assured that the government would do everything possible to ensure the safe release of the students.

Muslim Folami, the commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, who led other officials to address the protesting parents, appealed to them to be calm.  He said the government was working round the clock to ensure the release of the children

When the parents asked how soon, Folami said he could not tell. “Work is going on and soon, your children will be released to you. We cannot give you intelligent report now,” he said.

Kehinde Bamigbetan, special adviser on community communications to Governor Ambode, calmed the wailing parents, saying the government understood their pains and was doing all within its powers to get the children out.

Suspected militants reportedly stormed the Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe and abducted six students, and successfully escaped through the creeks. It was the second time the kidnappers would be abducting students and officials of the school.

 

JOSHUA BASSEY