This archive report was first published on 23 August 2021.
On July 5, 2021, bandits invaded Bethel Baptist High School in Nigeria's Kaduna State, kidnapping 121 students. 48 days later, 15 of the students were released, leaving 65 others still in captivity.
The release was confirmed by Rev John Hayab, Kaduna State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in North West Nigeria.
According to reports, the bandits had initially demanded a ransom of N80 million ($160,000) to release the remaining students.
However, the freed students were handed over to their excited parents at the Baptist Secretariat on Ahmadu Bello Way in Kaduna by the president of Baptist Convention, Rev Israel Akanji.
Rev Akanji expressed gratitude to God for the release of the 15 children, while also expressing hope that the remaining 63 students would be released soon.
At least 1,618 students have been abducted since February 2021 by bandits in Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, and Sokoto states.
