The Police Special Tactical Squad (STS) has arrested three of the suspected abductors of students of the Bethel Baptist High School in Kaduna State. Parading the suspects – Adamu Bello, Isiaku Lawal and Muazu Abubakar – on Thursday in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CP Frank Mba, said the trio are part of a 25-man gang that perpetrated the act on July 5. A total of 126 students of the school located in Maraban Damishi, Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were abducted on the fateful day, even as reports said at least 100 of them had so far been freed by their abductors.

Mba said the suspects “played very active role in the kidnap of the students,” adding that “we have generated sufficient intelligence, and we are closing in on others”. Abubakar said: “We kidnapped them because we needed money.” He further confessed that he was given N100,000 from the ransom paid for the release of the students. Meanwhile, the police have called on churches to be security-conscious, noting that criminal elements now “consider churches as weak and vulnerable”. “We encourage churches, in addition to spiritual protection, to provide security around the churches,” the FPRO said.”