The families of female students abducted alongside their teachers at the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, Northwest Nigeria, have reportedly opened an account to solicit funds for ransom.
Nigerian Secondary School Students Abducted By Terrorists Begin Solicitation For Ransom 19 Months After Buhari Government’s Failure To Secure Their Release
The families of female students abducted alongside their teachers at the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, Northwest Nigeria, have reportedly opened an account to solicit funds for ransom.
The schoolchildren and their teachers were kidnapped on June 17, 2021.
Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central district on Wednesday disclosed that the affected families decided to take the step following the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to secure the release of the victims 19 months after their abduction.
Sharing the information on his Twitter handle, Sani said, “The families of the girls abducted from Federal Government College Yauri, Kebbi state for 19 months have opened an account and soliciting for contributions from the general public so that they can pay ransom to a terrorist leader called Dogo Gide.”
“One man holding a state hostage,” Shehu Sani added.
The families of the girls abducted from Federal Government College Yauri,Kebbi state for 19 months,have opened an account and soliciting for contributions from the general public so that they can pay ransom to a terrorist leader called Dogo Gide. One man holding a state hostage.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) January 11, 2023
Some gunmen had abducted over 100 students and eight teachers from the school.
However, some of the students escaped from the gunmen during the abduction while others were rescued by security operatives.
On October 21, 2021, the bandits released 30 of the abducted students.
SaharaReporters reported in November 2022 that no fewer than 11 of the students were yet to regain their freedom.
Rahma Abdullahi, Aliya Abubakar, Faridah Ka’oje, Fahiza Ahmad, Neempere Daniel, Safiya Idris, Rebecca James, Esther Sunday, Elizabeth Ogechi Nwafor, Hafsah Murital and Bilhah Musa were said to still be in the kidnappers’ den.
A lecturer at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Mansur Isah Buhari, shared the names of the students on Facebook.He said, “While we debate about our political party's victory, let's remember that these 11 innocent FGGC BIRNIN YAURI SCHOOLGIRLS have been in captivity for 17 months now!
“Let's place ourselves in the shoes of their parents. The least we can do is to make a voice for them and all other people in captivity. 11 is just a number; they have faces, they have names and their mothers miss them! #YauriElevenv #yauri11 #EndBanditry.”