Parents of the six kidnapped students of the Lagos State Model College, Igbo Nla were in tears as they stormed the office of the Lagos State Governor to demand the release of their children today, Wednesday, June 7, 2017.
According to PM Express, the incident happened this morning, with the parents stressing that the kidnappers informed them yesterday that four out of the six students are in bad condition and they would not negotiate with the parents again or allow them to speak with their children.
Spokesperson of the parents, Mr. Dapo Adesega, lamented that their children had been with the kidnappers for 14 days and the state government had not deemed it fit to communicate with them.
“If you don’t communicate with us, how do we know that government cares for our plight. If we had not come here today, we won’t have heard anything from the government,” he told government officials who were sent to address them.
“Nobody from the government has come to us since the incident occurred two weeks ago. We did not come here with placards because we want government to help us. Please, government should help us. We have been trying to negotiate with them but they rejected our offer because it is too small,” he said.
“They said we cannot speak with our children again as four of them are ill. We want government to help us, we are trusting in you. Our kids are not allowed to talk to us again. I took my child to a government school, so the government should help us,” Adesega added.
A parent, Moruf Ramon, whose 19-year old son Isiaka Ramon is still being held by the kidnappers said the kidnappers had refused to negotiate with them any further as what they offered to pay them was small.
He said there was no way they could raise such huge ransom of N100 million being demanded by the kidnappers, adding that so far, the parents offered to give the kidnappers N10 million they raised, but that they rejected it.
While addressing the parents, Lagos State Commissioner of Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Muslim Folami appealed to the parents to be calm and that government was doing all it could to get the children released, saying that government was embarrassed that such a thing could occur on its school.
“Work is going on and soon, your children will be released to you. We cannot give you intelligent report now,” he said.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Community And Communications, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan who appealed for calm said government knew the pains the parents were going through and that everything would be done to get the children released very soon.
