The gunmen who kidnapped the pupils and teachers of the Apostolic School, Emure-Ekiti have contacted their parents and demanded a N10 million ransom for each of them.

The school bus conveying the pupils and teachers, including the driver, was kidnapped at about 5pm at Eporo-Ekiti, in Emure area of the state on Monday, January 29. According to investigations, six of the pupils, three teachers and the bus driver were kidnapped and taken to the forest.

A reliable family source in the community said the kidnappers contacted the parents and relatives of the victims on Tuesday, January 30, and are asking for N10 million each on the 10 victims as ransom to release them.

The source said; “They were kidnapped after their school bus was intercepted in Eporo-Ekiti, at a location that shares boundary with Ondo State, on Monday evening while returning home from school. I have a tenant whose wife and child were among the victims. The man received a call from the kidnappers on Tuesday afternoon and they demanded N10 million each for the 10 victims with them. Altogether, the gunmen said they wanted N100 million for the victims; they threatened to harm them if the parents did not raise the money quickly. There is confusion and apprehension in the land at the moment.”

The source added that the parents called on the state and federal governments and security agencies to ensure the safe return of their children.

This incident happened the same day when gunmen shot dead two traditional rulers in Oke-Ako axis of Ikole Local Government Area of the state.