The Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF) yesterday congratulated the freed students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka and their families.
The apex Northern forum also called on the bandits to release the remaining students in their custody, saying that spilling of blood was not a solution to whatever problem they might have with the government or the society.
The ACF, in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna, also stipulated that while they were not against negotiations with the bandits, they were however, against payment of ransom.
The statement signed by Emmanuel Yawe, National Publicity Secretary of ACF, said: “We are grateful to Nigerians, who risked their lives in the delicate negotiating process to free the abducted students.
“Our only regret is that millions of Naira is alleged to have been paid to the bandits before they granted freedom to the kidnapped students.”
Yawe said: “The ACF is against the payment of such ransom even though we agree with negotiating with bandits. We appeal to those bandits holding other students at Greenfield University also to set them free without further delay.”
Speaking about the students of the Greenfield University that are still in captivity, ACF said, “Having killed five of them in cold blood, killing more will certainly not help matters. Whatever may be the grievances of the kidnappers against society, spilling innocent blood will not be a solution.”
Part of the statement also said: “The Arewa Consultative Forum, (ACF), wishes to rejoice over the freedom re-gained by students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation in Kaduna.
“The students have been held hostage by bandits, who stormed the school on March 11 and took 39 of them, demanding huge amounts of money before their release. Ten of them had been released before now.
“Last week, we heard that the last batch of the hostages was all released. We thank God for saving their lives and rejoice with their families both immediate and remote.”
