Afaka Students: How FG released notorious kidnapper, as parents paid N32m ransom

Fresh detail has emerged as to how the federal government released a notorious kidnapper in exchange for the freedom of the last batch of 27 students of Federal College of Forestry, Afaka, abducted on March 11.

In a prisoner swap deal brokered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a kidnapper simply identified as Nanono was transported from a detention facility in Kano, were he was being held and handed over to a traditional ruler in Kaduna who acted as the middleman.

Parents and relatives of the victims were then left with the payment of N15m, in addition to the N17m, they earlier paid for the release of the 10 of the students earlier released in two batches.

The parents first paid N17m last month for the release of all the victims, but the kidnappers released 10 students in two batches, insisting that amount was too small.

In view of the kidnappers’ failure to meet the obligation, the parents insisted on a middleman for the second round of negotiations.

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A security source involved in the negotiation told DAILY NIGERIAN that the kidnappers demanded the release of three of their gang members in custody and payment of the N50m.

“But after a series of negotiations and pleas, they accepted to reduce the amount and the only surviving gang member named Nanono,” said the source.