Abductors of Kaduna female pupils and staff of the Engravers College, Kakau Daji, in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Monday insisted on N10m per head for the pupils and the two staff of the school as ransom.
Some gunmen in the early hours of Thursday lat week stormed the college and took away six female pupils and two other staff resident in the school to an unknown destination.
The spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo, confirmed the incident.
On Friday, the kidnappers were said to have contacted the management of the college where they demanded N50m as ransom after jettisoning their earlier demand of N30m per head for the pupils.
The abductors later settled for N50m for the six female pupils and the two staff.
However, on Monday, a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity told PUNCH on the telephone that the abductors declined on the earlier collective bargain they started “which was N50m per student and the two staff of the college.”
The source added that the abductors were furious over media reports and that the college should seek assistance from the state government on settling the ransom.
He added that the abductors again called that each parent of the six female pupils should pay N10m ransom while the two staff should pay the same amount, bringing the total amount to N80 million.
“They(kidnappers) are insisting on N10 million per head from the parent and the two staff. They said they wanted the money today(Monday),” he said.
The source added, “We are praying and still negotiating with them.”
Meanwhile, Special forces drawn from the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services as well as the Police were on Sunday, deployed to rescue the Engravers College pupils and teachers from their kidnappers unhurt.
It was also gathered that the security operatives were close on the kidnappers and the abductees, PUNCH has learnt.
The forces, it was gathered were being careful in the operation as according to the source, the kidnappers might be “using the pupils and teachers as human shields.”
“Pressure is being mounted on the kidnappers and victims but we have to take into consideration the lives of the victims,” the source added.