By Philip Nwosu
Kidnapped students of College of Agriculture and Animal Sciences , Bakura in Zamfara state has dispatched a “Save our Lives” plea to Governor Bello Matawalle and the state government, especially as the bandits threatened to kill them within 24 hours if their N350 million ransom demands is not met.
The abducted students had in a shot video released by the bandit, said their abductors were telling them to pile pressure on their families to pay within 24 hours or be killed.
The kidnapped students said they were taken to a site filled with bodies of victims killed because they were unable to pay their ransom, to show them what would become of them.
The bandits also displayed their arsenal in the video in a show of strength, threatening to eliminate their hostages if government failed to pay the ransom or tried to secure their release by force.
The bandits had released a video showing the 19 students and staff abducted from the college in the early hours of yesterday.
The students include Isma’il Lawali, Salim Salisu, Kabiru Lawali, Yasir Lawali, Awaisu Jabir, Aminu Umar, Abba Aliyu, Aminu Adamu, Usman Umar and Umar Haruna.
Others are Usama Lukman, Abdurahman Lukman, Junaidu Yunusa, Abdullahi Bala and Jamilu Kwatarkwashi.
The staff abducted are Mustapha Abdullahi Mafara, Nusaiba Gambo, Hannatu Gambo and Hibbatu Gambo.
Meanwhile, Zamfara Governor, Bello Matawalle, has expressed dissatisfaction over the violent activities in the state.
Addressing newsmen at the Government House in Gusau, he said he was short of words over the bandits’ activities in the state.
“My administration has tried to curtail the problem but it still persists and I do not know where the problem is coming from”
He said his administration has invested much to ensure the security of lives and properties in the state, all to no avail.
He said he would embark on a fire for fire operation against the bandits since they do not want to repent, saying he had instructed the security operatives to engage them.