Ten more students who were kidnapped two months ago from Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State have gained their freedom according to the school administrator.
The Reverend John Hayab, the administrator of the school, told Reuters News Agency that 21 students from the school remained in captivity.
He revealed that an undisclosed ransom was paid to release eight students while another two were set free due to ill health.
“They are looking for more money, that’s why they are releasing them in batches,” Hayab said.
He had previously said the abductors were seeking 1 million Naira per student.
Last month bandits released 15 students from the school after a group of 28 was set free in July following the release of the first group of 28, two days after the raid.
Around 150 students went missing after armed men in July raided the school in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, the 10th mass school kidnapping since December, which authorities attributed to criminal gangs seeking ransom.
The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF said on Wednesday that 1 million Nigerian children could miss school this year as the new term begins amid a rise in mass school kidnappings and insecurity. (with Reuters report)
