Gunmen who stormed Greenfield University, a privately-owned tertiary institution in Kaduna State, and kidnapped some students have demanded N800m as ransom before they can release their victims.
The kidnappers who are understood to have contacted the parents of the affected students also threatened to kill the students if their demands are not met.
Naija News recalls unknown gunmen on Tuesday night, abducted an unidentified number of students of Green Field University located along the Abuja-Kaduna highway during an attack on the school.
The armed men, who invaded the school around 10.30 pm also shot a staff of the school.
A cousin to one of the kidnapped students, Georgina Stephen has now revealed that the abductors have contacted their parents and made a collective demand of N800m for all the kidnapped students.
Stephen claimed 23 students, including 14 females and a staff of the university, were abducted.
She added that the kidnappers have been beating the abducted students, insisting if the ransom is not paid they will kill all of them.
Another parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity about the development also confirmed they have been contacted by the kidnappers who want them to pay the N800m ransom.
He however didn’t have information on the number of abducted students.
The Nation gathered negotiation of the ransom was already ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government has confirmed gunmen’s attack on Greenfield University, a private institution of higher learning located in the state.
The statement by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed that a staff of the school identified as Paul Ude Okafor was killed during the attack but the number of students kidnapped by the gunmen is yet to be established.
Mr. Aruwan in a statement on Wednesday about the incident disclosed that troops of Operation Thunder Strike, OPTS, and other security operatives were promptly dispatched to the school after a distress call was received.
He added that the security operatives have launched an investigation into the matter and are working to secure the safe return of the abducted persons.