After 11 Days, Police Reveal Location Of Kidnapped Lagos Pupils

Reports emerged on Sunday that the police may have identified where the six pupils of Igbonla Model School, Epe, are being kept by their abductors.

It is believed that the kidnappers who had demanded N100 million ransom are keeping the pupils in the creeks that border Epe and Ibeju-Lekki areas of Lagos.

A source told the Punch that the police are hesitating to move in to rescue the children, who had spent 11 days in captivity because they fear that they may endanger the lives of the pupils if they did.

A security source told the newspaper that though the police has isolated the area where the pupils are being kept, it was difficult to catch the kidnappers off guard due to the difficult terrain of the area.

He said;

“The kidnappers are in a creek in Ogun State. If operatives are to enter that place, the lives of the children will be endangered. If it were to be that they were kept in a house, the building would have been cordoned off and busted. 

“This is a creek that you have to use a speedboat to access. Before you reach there, they (kidnappers) will see you from afar. So, they have many options. They can kill the children and run away and you may never find them. 

These are people who are brought up in watersides. So, they know how to navigate creeks more than anyone else. That is what is delaying the rescue.”

Another source, who confirmed that the terrain was a difficult one to navigate said it would be better to pay the ransom, secure the release of the pupils afterwards security forces can move it and destroy the den.

“Normally, in this kind of scenario, the kidnappers would demand a huge ransom. But at the end of the day, they would collect any amount offered and move on. They know there is pressure on them. 

“Then, the moment the ransom is paid and the children are freed, necessary things will follow. This is the best way to get these children out. Any attempt to attack the creek; there is a high probability that there will be many casualties, including the victims and the policemen, because of the nature of the place. They are in Ogun watersides close to Lagos.”