By Gabriel Atumeyi
Bandits have released 28 of the abducted Bethel Baptist Academy along Kaduna-Kachia road in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna, Rev. John Hayab, said about 80 students were still held captive by the bandits while the released students will be reunited with their families.
Two of the students had earlier escaped while the bandits had released one on health ground.
The gunmen who invaded the school on July 5th had demanded N500,000 for each of the students.
A total of 121 students were abducted from their hostels by bandits on July 5.
After series of negotiations, the bandits who initially demanded N100m ransom reduced it to N60m.
The Nigerian Baptist Convention had approached some of its churches in order to raise the ransom demanded by bandits for their release.
On Wednesday the President of the NBC Revd. Israel Akanji, said although the convention was opposed to the payment of ransom for freedom, “we have been boxed in, we have been given no option but to look for ways to rescue the children.”
Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige, said the students had been taken to a medical facility.