John Shiklam in Kaduna
Kaduna State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with the abduction of six female students and two staff of Engravers College in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Yakubu Sabo, disclosed this in an interview with THISDAY yesterday in Kaduna.
Sabo said one of the suspects is the school’s security guard who allegedly conspired with the criminals to abduct the students, saying the second suspect is a herdsman who used to graze his cattle within the vicinity of the school.
The girls were abducted on October 3, when the bandits invaded the school at about midnight and were released on October 26, after spending 22 days in captivity.
A total of N13.6 million ransom was paid to the bandits before their release.
The police spokesman said the girls told the police that while they were in captivity, the security man was always communicating with the bandits on phone.
“While the abducted school girls and the two staff were in captivity, they used to hear a voice each time the kidnappers called for negotiation of ransom.
“Incidentally, it was the security man of the college that used to communicate with the kidnappers.
“After their release the victims told the police that they used to hear one of the security men talking with the bandits while they were in captivity. So he was immediately arrested.
“The other one was seen physically by the girls when they were in captivity. They identified him as the same boy who always came with his cattle to graze within the vicinity of the college.
“So they knew him as somebody who came to graze around the school. He was traced and arrested. They are the prime suspects in connection to that offence. Investigations are still going on to arrest other accomplices that are at large now,” Sabo said.
