CAN debunks reported killing of female Baptist students

CHRISTIAN Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State chapter, has denied the report that three female students of Bethel Baptist School in the custody of kidnappers had been killed.

The Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab, said yesterday that all the students “are in good condition.” Hayab, while reacting to the claim of molestation and killing of the three students in Kaduna, explained that the parents and other stakeholders were in touch with the bandits, who assured that they were all safe.

“The story of the rape and killing of the students by the kidnappers is not true. It is sad. This report started coming in on Saturday. We really do not know why someone would sit down in his house and write such a report that the girls were molested and, because they refused, were killed.

“There is nothing like that. We are in contact with the bandits. The girls are doing fine, and none has been killed so far. If it is a wish, we pray that wish will never come true,” Hayab said.

According to him, negotiation is currently going on between the parents, stakeholders and the bandits over the ransom to be paid for the release of the remaining 120 students.

Hayab added: “The challenge we have now is the demands the bandits are making on us. The ransom is outrageous. But we are negotiating. I can tell you that we have not paid one kobo as ransom, apart from the food stuff we contributed and gave the bandits for the feeding of the children.”

Urging the kidnappers to have compassion on the students and their parents, the cleric said: “We are appealing that the kidnappers should know that the parents are poor; some of them are jobless and could not even meet the demands of paying school fees.”