Ado-Ekiti The abducted school pupils and their teachers in Emure Ekiti have been released.

The pupils and their teachers numbering nine who were kidnapped in their school Bus along Emure Eporo road last week were released at 2am today.

The Chairman of Emure Local Government, Mr Adebayo Oluwatosin who confirmed this to newsmen in a telephone conversation, this morning, said the victims were now in the palace of Elemure of Emure Ekiti.

He said the driver was killed while other eight regained their freedom.

Confirming the development, Ekiti State Police Command Public Relation Officer, Sunday Abutu said, “All victims were rescued today at about 1:30am but unfortunately, we lost the driver who was suspectedly killed by the abductors”

Background:

Recall that the school bus conveying the pupils and three teachers, including the driver, was ambushed by the gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Monday, along Eporo-Ekiti road between Ondo and Ekiti States.

The kidnappers, reportedly, later reached out to the families of the victims, demanding a ransom of N100m for the release of their captives.

But a person who prefers anonymity, told journalists on Thursday, that the ransom has been reduced by the kidnappers after several appeals.

The relative disclosed that the abductors had vowed to kill the victims if the ransom was not paid on time.

“I spoke with the kidnappers today. They said that the ransom is now N15 million. We are still pleading with them to take N4 million, but they insisted it must be N15 million. They said we should not delay the payment because the children are already weak. They even threatened to kill them if the ransom was not paid on time,” he said.

The relative pleaded with Nigerians, the state government and the federal government to come to the aid of the distraught families by rescuing the innocent children from their captors.