Abduction: Kaduna Hands Over Five Freed Students To Parents

Governor Nasir El-rufai-led government has handed over the five released students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna State to their parents.

Recall that bandits on March 11, 2021, stormed the school and abducted 39 students from the school hostel.

The bandits, however, on Monday released five of the abducted student and also forwarded their demands to the state government through the released students.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affair, Samuel Aruwan, while handing the students over to their parents noted that the students have been medically certified to be physically and mentally stable, having undergone thorough medical check up at military facility in the state.

He further stated that the state government has ordered the State Emergency Agency and the Ministry of Human Development and Social Welfare to provide direct support for the released students.

Aruwan identified the released students as Abubakar Yakubu, Francis Paul, Obadiya Habakkuk, Amina Yusuf and Maryam Danladi.

The Commissioner, however, stated that the Kaduna government will not rest until the remaining students were released.

The commissioner said, “the following students are being handed over to their parents; Francis Paul, Maryam Danladi, Abubakar Yakubu, Amina Yusuf and Obadiah Habakkuk.”

“These students have undergone thorough medical checks and preliminary psychological evaluation at a Military facility, and have been certified physically and mentally stable. However, there is of course the need for post-trauma evaluation.”

“It is in that light, that the Kaduna State Government is handing them over to their parents.”

“Upon their retrieval, the Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, immediately directed the State Emergency Management Agency and the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development to offer direct support with the management of the students.”

“Food, clothing and other immediate essentials were provided to the students, and they were housed at a shelter for debriefing.”

“The Kaduna State Government’s empathy with the families and loved ones of all the hostages is as important and deeply rooted as its obligation not to provide incentives for criminality.”

“The Kaduna State Government shares deeply in the pain and distress experienced by the parents and families of all the hostages in this difficult time. As such, the Government will continue to work towards the safe return of the students in captivity.”

“The Governor has emphasised that the government, parents, students, the school management and all Nigerians have one common goal, and that is having all the students, and indeed all those in captivity back home, and to work hard towards overcoming this common asymmetric threat. By the grace of God, we will succeed.”

“I also wish to appeal to the parents of the remaining students to stay strong. Government and security agencies are working patiently and consistently to secure the release of the students and all abducted persons.”

“It is on this note that we officially hand over the students to their parents,” he said.

One of the parents identified as Caleb Waziri while responding on behalf of other parents, expressed gratitude to God while hoping that other students would be released soon.

The Commissioner, Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Muhammad-Baba, who expressed delight over the release of the five students, said state would take them(students) into custody for pycho-social support and counselling for now.

He added that the released students would be adequately catered for by the state, adding that the state would keep them because of stigmatization from the community.

She said, “we are taking them to our shelter because we have shelter specifically for women where they are going to get a pycho-social support and counselling where they will have privacy.

“There are foods there; there is also recreational facilities there – television to watch so that they can take their hearts off the trauma they had been through.

“We believe that giving that privacy will also help to normalise them and bring them back to their senses once more. By the time they get out of our shelter, they can stay as long as they want. We don’t have any problem with that. If they want to stay a month or until they fully recuperate, there is no problem.

“They will be adequately taken care of by the government of Kaduna State so that by the time they come out, they will be their normal selves. We will also want to keep them there because of stigmatization within the community.”