The kidnappers of two students of Kogi State University, Kabba, have reduced their ransom demand from N50 million to N10 million.
The students were abducted last week Friday at the same spot and on the same day the Caretaker Chairmen of the Kabba/Bunu LGA, Dare Micheal and his three aides were kidnapped.
While the caretaker chairman, Dare, was released due to ill health that didn’t allow him to trek with the abductors, the three aides and the two students are still with the kidnappers.
The kidnappers who on Monday requested N100 million as ransom for the hostages, have now demanded N50 million for their release.
A parent of one of the students, Mr. Shadrach Idowu Babalola, said his son, Isaac Babalola, a student of the Public Administration Department, has been with the kidnappers for a week now.
He said the kidnappers have been adamant in their demands.
“Anytime they (kidnappers) call and ask for N50 million and we tell them we don’t have such an amount, they tell us we are not serious about the lives of our wards.
“The last time they called and we told them what we could afford, they told us point blank to take the money and buy Maggi to make soup for ourselves.”
Meanwhile, the Kogi Police Command said they were not aware that students of the institution were among those abducted.
The Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP William Aya, when contacted, wondered why the parents of the students were yet to make a formal report to the security operatives.
Also, the university is yet to make a formal statement about the abduction of its students.
The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Tade Oshaloto, when contacted, declined to comment on the matter.