THE SUN
One week after 20 medical students and their house officer from the University of Maiduguri and University of Jos were kidnapped in Otukpo, Benue State, father of one of the victims, Mr Kwaghaondona Fagar, has called on the federal and state government to come to their aid and secure the release the children unhurt.
Mr Fagar, a retiree with the Benue state government, made this appeal on Thursday while speaking with newsmen at his residence in Makurdi.
The retiree who noted the difficulty most parents are going through with the economic challenges wondered where they would source the N50 million ransom the kidnappers were demanding for.
He described their situation as unbearable explaining that many of the parents of the victims are widows and widower who were yet to pay school (medical) fees of their respective children.
Fagar lamented that since his retirement on January 17, 2013 from the state civil service till date he has not received his gratuity except for the monthly pension which the new administration led by Governor Hyacinth Alia started paying them.
In a Save our Soul message, the distraught father called on both the federal and state governments as well as other well meaning Nigerians to assist the families to secure the freedom of all the children before the kidnappers start carry out their threat of killing them one after the other.
Mr Fagar, explained that life has become difficult for him and his family to feed as he as sold his two vehicles and other belongings to pay the school fees of his son in medical school at the University of Jos.
Lamenting further, he said “with the current situation, how do I get the money to rescue my son in captivity with others. I have been looking round with my wife to source the sum of N2.5 million which is my share of the money to pay. It has been difficult.
“All the parent are communicating and sourcing for the ransom to pay, we are all in a platform making serious efforts, the money is not complete yet.
