DEVELOPING STORY: Kidnapped Lagos students freed

The six students kidnapped in Igbonla, Epe, Lagos State in May have been released, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

One of the mothers of the students who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES Friday afternoon said the students are on their way to Lagos.

“They have been released. The deputy governor of Ondo state called me and I spoke with my son. They are on their way to Lagos.”

The students were kidnapped more than 53 days ago at the Lagos State Model College.

Reports say they were released at Aboto Creek in Ilaje local government of Ondo state on Friday afternoon.

Another parent of one of the boys explained that details of their arrival point in Lagos still remain sketchy, as the Lagos State government would likely take over the case.

“You know it is a government case. They are likely going to take them to Alausa (Lagos State Government Secretariat),” she said.

Efforts to reach the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Steve Ayorinde, on Friday were futile as he did not pick his calls.

Mr. Ayorinde, however, confirmed the release of the kids through a terse message on his Facebook page.

“It took a while, but the security operatives rose to the occasion eventually. Kudos!!!,” he wrote Friday afternoon.

When contacted, Olarinde Famous-Cole, spokesperson to the Lagos Police Command, told PREMIUM TIMES that details of the students’ reunion with their parents would be communicated to the public later.

The students were abducted at around 5 a.m. on May25 by gunmen, who arrived through a creek behind the school.
The hoodlums reportedly broke through the school’s fence to gain access to the premises.

The incident occurred seven months after gunmen kidnapped two teachers and four pupils of the same school, although the victims were later freed.

The abduction of the students, whose names were given as Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Philips and Farouq Yusuf has attracted emotional responses from the Nigerian public for many weeks now with many criticising the seemingly slow response of the security outfits to their rescue.

Nigeria’s Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, recently gave an assurance while in Lagos that the students would be rescued.