Kidnappers demand N100m for Turkish school victims


Date posted: January 17, 2017

Robert Egbe and Oluwatoyin Adeleye

The abductors of eight pupils and workers of Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) have made a ransom demand of N100 million to free them, The Nation learnt yesterday.

It was gathered that the kidnappers contacted the husband of one of the victims early yesterday to make the demand.

The plea that the families did not have that amount of money was rejected by the kidnappers, it was learnt.

“The kidnappers called early this morning and demanded N100m. That is what they are insisting on for now, but the family cannot raise that amount.

“We are worried. We hope God will touch their heart to free all the victims. The police are also assuring us that they are on top of the situation,” a source close to the family said.

But the Ogun State Police Command denied knowledge of any contact with or discussion on ransom from the kidnappers.

Spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said the police were still doing all they could to rescue the victims.

He said: “We are not aware of that. We are not aware. We are doing our own job trying to get the victims rescued, so we are not aware of any discussion about ransom.”

Also yesterday, students of the college were sent home and academic activities suspended.

Vice Principal (Academic), Mr. Olayinka Aderoju, told The Nation that the school had been closed for this week, after which a Parents’ Teachers Association (PTA) meeting will be held and the reopening will be discussed.

He was hopeful that the victims would be returned safely.

Aderoju said: “For security reasons, we cannot divulge any information about the development yet. But we are doing our part and the security operatives are doing theirs, but we cannot say anything that can jeopardize the efforts. But we are hopeful of their early release and freedom. For now the school is observing a break in order to identify with those abducted students and staff. We cannot continue as though things are normal. In any case, we are hopeful that very soon there will be good result for us. For now, we have not decided how long the break will be but on Saturday we will hold a PTA meeting where we will review the situation and after that we will determine what to do but before then, we are hopeful.”

Parents and authorities of the school were thrown into panic at the weekend, when kidnappers dressed in military camouflage uniforms, stormed the school and whisked away three students, three female supervisors, one female cook and a female Turkish teacher.

Two of the abducted students were preparing for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) exam.

The VP called for government’s intervention to end the spate of kidnappings across the country, noting that the lives of innocent children were at risk.

“This shows that government has a big responsibility on its hands. This situation is getting out of hand and government has so much left to be done. Are they trying to tell people that their children are not safe anymore, even in their schools? I think they can do better in the area of security,” he said.

Source: The Nation , January 16, 2017


Related News

The Turkish invasion of Nigeria

I think Nigerians have to rise to the occasion and ensure that the persecution of Hizmet movement participants is halted without further delay. It is pertinent to state that Hizmet movement affiliated institutions in Nigeria have over 2000 Nigerians in their employ.

Once lauded as model, Turkey’s Africa initiative loses momentum

One of the main reasons behind the loss of momentum in Turkey’s once-intense efforts to boost relations with African states is the Turkish government’s effort to win domestic battles at any cost. In one such attempt, the Turkish government started to work on a plan to get states to close down Turkish schools abroad that are affiliated with the Hizmet movement, which is inspired by the teachings of Islamic scholar Fethullah Gülen and known as one of Turkey’s most important soft-power instruments.

The Turkish connection in India

As the Turkish Consulate gets ready to set up office in Hyderabad, Neeraja Murthy finds a Turkey-Hyderabad connect. Indialogue Foundation, the Turkish cultural centre acts as a hub for the 15 Turkish families living in Hyderabad. “We get together here during religious ceremonies like Eid and we organise inter-faith seminars, talks, conferences and cultural programmes. We arrange business meetings between Turkish and Indian businessmen and also organise Turkish celebrations.”

South Africa welcomes International Festival of Language

The globally acclaimed International Festival of Language and Culture (IFLC) is dedicated to cultivating and educating the youth, creating a platform to share their cultural heritage with their peers around the world and to witness exceptional performances by students of diverse nationalities.

Volunteer teachers saddened by efforts to close Turkish schools

Volunteers teachers, most of whom left behind a better life in Turkey with the hope of promoting universal values of peace, dialogue and peaceful coexistence with others through education at Turkish schools abroad, have voiced great disappointment over efforts by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to defame and eventually see these schools close.

Pak-Turk International Schools Foundation-Stone Laying Ceremony

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan and Turkey enjoy brotherly and friendly relations and, with efforts of the Punjab government, mutual ties between the two countries are transforming into economic cooperation.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Pro-gov’t columnist claims Obama could be Gülen’s White House ‘imam’

Threats and fear used to intimidate business world

Call for Paper: Muslims, Sports and Physical Activity

Minister thankful to Fethullah Gulen for backing the peace process

As Gulen movement contracts in Africa, worry over who will fill the vacuum

Fethullah Gülen speaks at UN

Fethullah Gülen’s Message of Condolences and Condemnation of the Terrorist Attack in Istanbul

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News