TheCable

The students abducted from Government Science College, Kagara, Niger state, said they were beaten and starved by their abductors.

On February 17, gunmen attacked the school and kidnapped 38 students, staff members, and their relatives.

The abductees — 24 students, six workers, and eight relatives of the workers were finally released on Saturday.

Recounting their ordeal, the students said they had very little to eat.

According to them, the bandits inquired about the occupation of their parents and those who are children of military personnel were beaten seriously.

“We didn’t get food to eat till night the first day but they later fed us, and after feeding us they asked us about our parents’ occupation. ‘If you father is a policeman, come here.’ ‘If your father is a soldier, come here’,” Abubakar Sidi, an SS3 student, said.

“They beat us seriously but the beating was based on the occupation of our fathers. I wish I could die because the beating was too much. It was really tough in the forest.”

Another student identified as Suleiman Lawal said given the kind of suffering he experienced in captivity, it was unlikely he would return to the same school.

“We suffered so much. I had never faced this kind of situation in all my life. I don’t think I will like to go back to that school again,” Lawal said.

Abubakar Bello, governor of Niger state, told the students when he received them at the government house not to be discouraged in their educational pursuit.

The governor said no ransom was paid for the release of the students.