Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna has assured that the government has put in machinery to safeguard and protect schools in the State.
He made this known while playing host to Treasure Ayuba, the last released student of Bethel Baptist High School who was held in captivity for over two years by bandits at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House Kaduna on Wednesday evening.
Gov Sani maintained that the state government has put machinery to ensure the safety of students in their various schools across the state.
According to him, the state government will support the released student by providing him with psychosocial treatment to address the trauma he must have gone through while in the bandits’ den for over two years.
“We are going to support him in every way to ensure his reintegration into society. I will speak with the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Development to provide him with psychosocial treatment to try and erase the impact of the two years he spent with the bandits.
“We have taken steps to safeguard our schools and ensure that our schoolchildren have their education in a conducive atmosphere. We will set up security committees in all schools, ensure the deployment of KADVIS (Kaduna Vigilance Service) to all our schools.
Earlier the chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Kaduna State chapter, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, who led the parents and family of Treasure said N250 million was paid as ransom to bandits before they released 121 students of Bethel Baptist High School Kaduna who were kidnapped in July 2021.
Hayab said there is a need to clear the air on the erroneous information being circulated that it was the student that opted to remain with the bandits.
“There was nothing like that as the boy does not look like someone who would take such decision”.
According to Hayab, the bandits took several measures for Treasure not to be released including twice snatching those that took ransom money to them.
“A total sum of N250 million was paid as ransom to rescue the 121 students. Today, we gather here with a mix of feelings – relief, joy, and gratitude. We are here to welcome back Treasure Ayuba, the last of the kidnapped students of Bethel Baptist High School, Kaduna, matched out while in their sleep in the school hostel and kidnapped on the night of 5th July 2021 by bandits.
“To the knowledge of CAN, over Two Hundred and Fifty Million (250,000, 000) Naira was paid as ransom to get the 121 kidnapped children out from their captors, but for Treasure, his story became a heart-breaking one, further made worse by distorting the truth that the boy did not want to leave the den of the kidnappers.”
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