TWO years after the abduction of dozens of schoolgirls from Federal Government College Birnin Yauri in Kebbi State, four of the remaining 11 girls in captivity have regained their freedom.
News Point Nigeria reports that the four girls, Bilha Musa, Faiza Ahmed, Rahma Abdullahi and Hafsa Murtala were released by notorious bandit leader, Dogo Gide on Friday evening.
“It took six days of negations in the forest before four of the girls were released to us,” Salim Kaoje told this newspaper on Saturday morning.
“We have seven more still in captivity and two of the parents are still in the forest trying to secure their release.”
He said they had paid an undisclosed amount of money to secure the release of the four girls after they sold their properties and a fund raising that saw many Nigerians assist the parents financially.
In January, Kaoje had confirmed that they were in talks with Dogo Gide after they sought intervention through the mother of the bandit.
FGC Birnin Yauri was attacked by bandits on June 17, 2021, were dozens of students and teachers were kidnapped from the federal government- owned mixed boarding school.
Eleven of the students have remained in captivity despite huge sums of money being paid as ransom and prisoner swaps at different times.
Two months ago, News Point Nigeria had exclusively reported that, after former head of state, AbsulSalami Abubakar; Attorney General, Abubakar Malami SAN; Senator Kebbi Central, Senator Adamu Aleiro and others raised the sum of N105m demanded for the release of the students of the Federal Government College (FGC), Birnin Yauri, the bandits had further demanded that the money must be in new naira notes.
A reliable source, who is also a relative of one of the abducted students told News Point Nigeria that, the bandits had communicated to the parents of the remaining 11 female students in captivity to make available the sum of N105m or they will never see the girls again in December, 2022.
According to the source, after receiving the bandits’ demands the parents of the 11 remaining girls appealed to Nigerians to come to their aid financially in order to rescue their children from their abductors.
In a letter addressed to all Nigerians, the parents’ group known as “Committee of Parents of 11 Abducted Students of F.G.C Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, Nigeria,” passionately solicited financial assistance towards raising the sum of N100 million as ransom demanded by the terrorists.
News Point Nigeria also learnt that, wealthy Nigerians and politicians especially in Kebbi State heed the parents’ ceaseless pleas and made generous donations.
Speaking on the development, during his one of his Friday sermon, the chief imam of Birnin Yauri mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Ibrahim said, succour is close for the remaining abducted girls as the complete sum of N105m has been completely donated by well meaning individuals in the country.
According to him, Gen AbdulSalami Abubakar donated N5m, Attorney General, Malami SAN donated N10m, General Aminu Bande (rtd), who is also the Kebbi state Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) gubernatorial candidate, donated N3m, Senator Adamu Aleiro donated N6m, Malamawan Kebbi donated N5m, ministry of education and Garkuwan Ka’oje made undisclosed donations, Dr Bello Kabiru Mosque donated N3m and Col Dangiwa Muhammad went round the country to get the balance of undisclosed donations for the girls.
See below previous story on FGGC Yauri:
https://antiquewhite-elephant-634158.hostingersite.com.ng.ng/exclusive-bandits-demand-new-naira-as-abdulsalami-malami-aleiro-others-raise-n105m-for-abducted-fggc-birnin-yauri-students/