Finally, Gide-led bandits release 28 Kebbi FGC students, two teachers

Notorious bandits led Dogo Gide who kidnapped students and members of staff of the Federal Government College, Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State, have released 28 students and two teachers.

The victims were abducted four months ago by the gunmen who overpowered security men guarding the school located in a remote part of Kebbi State.

It was earlier reported that the students were about to be released last week, following interviews with some parents who were set to reunite with the abductees.

But it later emerged that the victims were not released as the process could not be perfected due to the inability of mediators to meet with the kingpin.

Daily Trust’s report stated that two students and two teachers – a male and a female – were brought out from the forests and received by security personnel and medics stationed at Kotonkoro town, near the bandits-infested forests.

The latest party arrived at Kotonkoro around 8.30pm on Wednesday, it was learnt.

“From Kotonkoro, they will be taken to Kontagora, before they are transported tomorrow (this morning) to Birnin Kebbi,” the Daily Trust source said.

But another source said the freed students and teachers might likely be brought to Minna, the Niger State capital, and then to Abuja, before they would be taken to the Kebbi State capital.

About 32 more victims are reportedly being held by the Gide. Six of the abducted persons had earlier been released by the bandits in two batches as part of talks for the release of the victims.

The latest efforts to get more victims out of the bandits’ den met bottlenecks after mediators’ failure to meet Gide when they travelled to retrieve the abductees.

The warlord was said to have gone on a mission against another bandits’ leader, Daminu, who had attacked and killed four of his men.