From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Barely 48 hours after the kidnapped students of College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, Kaduna, regained freedom, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said the 16 students of Greenfield University, Kaduna, would soon be released.
In an interview with newsmen shortly after parents of the released Afaka students paid a thank you visit to him, yesterday, Gumi said the students’ freedom was an encouragement to work for the release of Greenfield University.
The parents thanked the cleric and begged him to help convey their appreciation to former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, who worked alongside the cleric to free their children from bandits’ den
“The talk with the Greenfield University students’ abductors is also going on. You know they threatened to kill all of them after a particular deadline but after talking to them, they are now lowering their bar.
“So, we are thankful they have stopped the killing. And we are still negotiating with them. I hope this Afaka case will also encourage them to know that there is hope in negotiation and release of the children.”
Asked about the reported swap of bandit for the students, Sheikh Gumi said: “I cannot confirm that but I can quote the Governor of Kaduna State when the children of Chibok were kidnapped by Boko Haram, he said it is the duty of government to use whatever means possible to save the lives of Chibok girls. This is a general rule that life is more precious. Now, I am happy that 27 lives have been saved.”
Five of the students were killed by their abductors, while one regained freedom after his parents paid ransom leaving 16 still in captivity after they were kidnapped from the university on April 20.