Bandits who kidnapped the Bethel Baptist High School students in Kaduna have threatened to starve the students to death if the school management fails to provide food.
One hundred and twenty-one students, most of which are in the secondary level, were kidnapped from the school on Monday. Subsequently, the bandits requested that provisions be allocated for the kids' feeding.
Reuters reported that the bandits phoned the school management demanding that foodstuffs should be sent to them, else the 121 kidnapped would be left to starve.
In a swift response to the demand, the school sent 9 bags of rice, but the bandits rejected them. According to the Vice Principal of the school, Mr Wakili Madugu, they demanded 10 bags of imported rice, 20 bags of local rice, 10 cartons of seasoning, two bags of beans, and 10 kegs of oil.
Madugu claimed that they could not provide what was demanded because they had already exhausted almost all the school's foodstuffs. Yet, according to one parent whose child was also kidnapped, the school requested donations from him.
He said, “The school has asked us to donate any amount we can afford. It is not compulsory, but many parents are eager to pay because the bandits threatened to starve the children."
One source who asked not to be named said the foodstuffs will be sent to the bandits when the latter provides a location.