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Tag: Turkish School

  • Turkish school: it was a difficult time for us

    Turkish school: it was a difficult time for us

    Hours after Tuesday’s release of its abducted pupils and officials, the Nigerian Turkish International College (NTIC) yesterday spoke on the incident, saying it was a difficult time for the school and parents.

    Mr Orhan Kertom, Managing Director NTIC in Isheri, Ogun State, said their joy knew no bounds when the victims were freed.

    The victim were three pupils, three female, supervisors, a cook and a female teacher.

    Kertim said the victims’ 11 days in captivity were “sleepless nights” for the school and management.

    He spoke at the Oke-Mosan Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital when Governor Ibikunle Amosun received him, the freed pupils and staff and parents.

    They were presented to the governor by the Commissioner of Police in the State, Ahmed Iliyasu.

    Kertim praised President Muhammadu Buhari, the security agencies and Amosun for their support that led to the victims’ safe return

    “It was very difficult time for all of us; for 11 days, we had sleepless nights but we were full of hopes and prayed.

    “I will like to thank the President Muhammadu Buhari; Governor Amosun, Inspector General of Police, Director General of Department of State Service, Chief of Army Staff and all national security agencies for their continuous effort and support.

    “I also want to use this medium to talk about our parents because since that night we’ve always felt their presence next to us. They have shown great, tremendous solidarity and and thank God that it is all over. Thank you very much once again Your Excellency.”

    Iliyasu said the miscreants surrendered to the superiority of the technically-driven team of the intelligence response system of the Inspector-General of Police.

    He said some high profile suspects had been arrested.

    The police, he said, would sustain the peace in Ogun.

    Iliyasu said: “The Inspector-General of Police mandated me to make a very clear view; it’s an ongoing operation between us with the military and the state services and I’m assuring you sir that the history of this state and the standard of this state as a peaceful state, as a safe and secure state will definitely continue to be in the history of this nation.

    “Nobody would come and destroy the peace of this state; this is not a place that kind of a thing would be orchestrated. We are resolute, we are committed to the safety and security of not only the citizens of this state but to our national duty.

    “I hereby present to you the management of the school and the kidnapped victims for your reception sir. Thank you for all your support throughout this period. The huge support, the huge backbone that you have given our operation that was carried out led to the success of what we are seeing today.”

    An abducted pupil’s father, Steve Nwosu, Deputy Managing Director of The Sun, hailed the security chiefs and all who worked for the safe rescue of the victims.

    He said: “We were all in this together and we are very happy as parents that it has turned out the way it has turned out. Yes, even if anybody has any misgivings, the important thing is the result and we are very happy.

    “The governor, we must thank you for everything you did, we got to know indirectly, we knew what was happening.

    “As a media person, I understand one or two things that was happening. On behalf of the parents and the children, we want to say a big thank you to everybody that participated in bringing back these children and we say may none of you experience what we experienced.”

    Amosun restated his commitment to the safety of investors and their investment, saying the kidnappers wan’t go unpunished.

    He said: “Let me assure them that they will pay dearly for this because this is Ogun State, we don’t allow criminals to operate here. Ogun State will not be comfort zone, we will not allow them to operate.

    “Anybody that wants to do business, with good intention, without criminality, of course they are welcome to the state. But when they want to give us bad name, we will not allow that.

    “So, I have news for them, we will go after them, we will hunt them down so that it would serve as deterrent. We are ready, yes, they would want to dare us and we will continue to be ready for them.

    “ I don’t want people to go away with the feeling that maybe we are not safe in Ogun State. No, we are. But we will put all necessary measures in place to continue to show that we are peaceful people and this is a very safe environment.

    “We are the industrial capital of Nigeria; there is no state that has the number of industries we have. We have the highest number of industries. So, if some people now want to spoil that name or give us bad name, we will not allow it. The truth is that as government, as security operatives, we need to get it right.”

  • Turkish school: Kidnappers return ill pupil to camp

    The abductors of 10 students and officials of Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC) have returned a pupil-hostage who fell ill to their camp after taking her out for treatment on Monday, it was learnt yesterday.

    A relative confirmed to The Nation that the girl, a sickle cell anaemia patient, was taken out of their hideout in the creeks after she suffered a medical crisis.

    The relative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the kidnappers called his uncle on phone on Monday that they had moved her elsewhere to see a doctor.

    He said they called again yesterday that her health was better after receiving treatment and that she had been reunited with the nine other hostages.

    The Nation also learnt yesterday that the police had apprehended the gang’s errand boy, who confirmed that they were finding it difficult to source for food to feed the hostages from the open market because of the tightened security.

    On Wednesday, the police arrested two suspected masterminds of the kidnap who allegedly confessed to being behind the recent abductions of the monarch of Iba in Lagos and some landlords in Isheri, Lagos.

    Philip Kakadu, alias General Kakadu, and Romeo Council, alias Raw, were apprehended in Warri, Delta State, by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abba Kyari.

    A police source said Kakadu, 29, from Egbema and his gang member, Raw, 40, from Bomadi Local Government in Delta State, were arrested in Warri, the state capital.

    Other suspects were also said to be undergoing screening in connection with the abduction.

    The source said General Kakadu and Raws’ arrest had put the abductors under pressure and the police were hopeful that the hostages could be released “anytime from now.”

    The police said General Kakadu introduced bank robbery and kidnappings to pipeline vandals in the creeks and that they were behind many kidnappings and bank robberies in Lagos, Ogun and the South South states.

    “General Kakadu has confessed he was responsible for the Lekki, Ikorodu, Festac and Agbara bank robbery in Lagos. He has also confessed he was responsible for the kidnapping of Oniba of Iba, Isheri landlords and many others in Ogun State.

    “He also mentioned the names of five of his boys who participated in the Turkish International School kidnap. He has 25 AK 47 rifles. With their arrest, we believe their boys holding the victims in the creeks would surrender,” the source said.

     Also yesterday, the NTIC Parents and Teachers’ Association (PTA) said it had no foreknowledge that the kidnappers would attack the school.

    The association stated this in a statement made available to newsmen, wherein it reacted to claims that it was warned three weeks before the abductors struck.

    The statement was signed by the Principal Ercon Yilmaz, Vice Principal Aderoju OE, as well as four parents namely, Joyce Alhassan, Awobode Afolashade, Kalyele F. and Bukola Jimoh.

    “The erroneous claims that the school had been warned three weeks before the attack is totally false.

    “Those who claimed to warn the school of imminent attack ought to be suspects of complicity.

    “Our focus now is the release of our students and staff. We are not to be drawn into any unproductive arguments,” the statement read.

    It continued: “In order to focus on the efforts to free the abducted victims and to show solidarity with them, the school declared a break and this was deliberately twisted to claim parents are withdrawing their children.

    “The school has always taken the security of students and staff seriously, hence there were resident armed mobile policemen and some internal security officers on ground on the day of the incident.

    “We stand resolute in unshaken faith that our daughters and teachers would return without harm and we also wish to extend our appreciation to the relevant security agencies for their efforts so far.”

    The PTA said it was aware “that those behind the evil act have made contacts with some relatives of the victims and we are quite optimistic that the kidnappers would have a change of heart and release from hostage our daughters  and teachers.

    “We, however, appeal to the press and the general public to disregard most of the rumours currently making the rounds on this unfortunate development, and rely on the police and the school authorities for information on the matter.”

  • Police close in on Turkish School pupils’ abductors

    Police close in on Turkish School pupils’ abductors

    The police have discovered where the kidnappers who abducted 10 students and staff of the Nigerian Turkish International College are keeping their hostages, it was learnt yesterday
    A top police source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the identities of the kidnappers had also been uncovered.
    The location, he added, was in the creeks, but detectives who were on the abductors’ trail could not access the place for fear of endangering the captives.
    “We know the exact location in the creek where the children and members of staff are kept but we cannot storm the place because the lives of the children are in danger.
    “We would not make mistake of attempting the creek because there is no how the kidnappers will not see us coming and they may end up killing their victims. We need the assistance of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Nigerian Army, who we think have the wherewithal to penetrate the creek through the air,” he said.
    Another police source disclosed that the identities of the abductors were known.
    He said, “We have met with families and relatives of some of the kidnappers who are currently speaking with them. We have gone to Ondo, Delta and Edo States to consult with their families. I think the families are cooperating and are assisting us in talking to them.
    “But if this option fails, we will not have any other reason not to use our plan B, which we can’t disclose but will yield positive results. Their identities are well known and they know we know them. But we are using wisdom for the sake of the innocent children.
    “We are not happy that they are playing with the lives of innocent children. They are taking the joke too far and the whole world is watching. The most annoying thing is that one of the students is a sickle cell anaemia patient and she is seriously sick at the moment.”
    Also, the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) yesterday urged the police to make a formal request for assistance in the rescue operation.
    NAF Director of Public Relations Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said: “This is not a problem. The police should go to the appropriate authorities and put their request forward to the Air Force. It is not an issue. They know the procedures.”
    Meanwhile, the school’s spokesperson, Cemal Yigit debunked insinuations that it had foreknowledge of the abduction.
    He said suggestions that the management of the school was not serious about security issues around the school were unfounded and that nobody warned the school authority before the kidnappers’ invasion.
    It was learnt on Monday that the kidnappers had reduced their demand of N1.2 billion ransom to N750 million.
    Relatives of the Nigerian victims were requested to pay N50 million each while N200 million was demanded as ransom for that of the Turkish Mathematics teacher, Miss Deria.

  • We’re still tracking abductors of Turkish school pupils, others – Police

    The Ogun State Police Command on Monday said it is still working to track the abductors of some pupils and staff of the Nigeria Turkish International Colleges (NTIC), Isheri, Ogun State in order to rescue the victims.

    The Command’s Police Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, told The Nation that the Police is conducting thorough investigation into the incident and would make public, its finding known when there is a breakthrough.

    Abimbola expressed the optimism  that the victims would be rescued safe and alive.

    Five students and three  staff of the NTIC located in Isheri community were abducted last Friday night by suspected gunmen and taken to a yet – to – be determined location.

    The Nation gathered that among those abducted are three regular students and two others who were preparing for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board exams, three members of staff and a cook.

    Earlier, Abimbola told The Nation that security chiefs from the Nigerian army, Navy, Police and Department of State Security Service(DSS) in Ogun State had moved to Isheri, on Saturday to coordinate efforts towards search and rescue of the victims.

    The security chiefs, he added, include the General Officer Commanding(GOC) of the mechanised army, Director of DSS, Police Commissioner, Ahmed Iliyasu, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, Lagos and other senior security officers.

    According to Abimbola, the details of the strategies adopted towards search and rescue of the captives won’t be disclosed until success is achieved.

  • Kidnappers demand N100m for Turkish school victims

    •School shut down

    The abductors of eight pupils and workers of Nigerian Tulip International College (NTIC) have made a ransom demand of N100 million to free them, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    It was gathered that the kidnappers contacted the husband of one of the victims early yesterday to make the demand.

    The plea that the families did not have that amount of money was rejected by the kidnappers, it was learnt.

    “The kidnappers called early this morning and demanded N100m. That is what they are insisting on for now, but the family cannot raise that amount.

    “We are worried. We hope God will touch their heart to free all the victims. The police are also assuring us that they are on top of the situation,” a source close to the family said.

    But the Ogun State Police Command denied knowledge of any contact with or discussion on ransom from the kidnappers.

    Spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi said the police were still doing all they could to rescue the victims.

    He said: “We are not aware of that. We are not aware. We are doing our own job trying to get the victims rescued, so we are not aware of any discussion about ransom.”

    Also yesterday, students of the college were sent home and academic activities suspended.

    Vice Principal (Academic), Mr. Olayinka Aderoju, told The Nation that the school had been closed for this week, after which a Parents’ Teachers Association (PTA) meeting will be held and the reopening will be discussed.

    He was hopeful that the victims would be returned safely.

    Aderoju said: “For security reasons, we cannot divulge any information about the development yet. But we are doing our part and the security operatives are doing theirs, but we cannot say anything that can jeopardize the efforts. But we are hopeful of their early release and freedom. For now the school is observing a break in order to identify with those abducted students and staff. We cannot continue as though things are normal. In any case, we are hopeful that very soon there will be good result for us. For now, we have not decided how long the break will be but on Saturday we will hold a PTA meeting where we will review the situation and after that we will determine what to do but before then, we are hopeful.”

    Parents and authorities of the school were thrown into panic at the weekend, when kidnappers dressed in military camouflage uniforms, stormed the school and whisked away three students, three female supervisors, one female cook and a female Turkish teacher.

    Two of the abducted students were preparing for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) exam.

    The VP called for government’s intervention to end the spate of kidnappings across the country, noting that the lives of innocent children were at risk.

    “This shows that government has a big responsibility on its hands. This situation is getting out of hand and government has so much left to be done. Are they trying to tell people that their children are not safe anymore, even in their schools? I think they can do better in the area of security,” he said.

  • How our students, staff were abducted – Turkish school Principal

    The Principal of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges(NTIC), Isheri, Ogun State, on Saturday gave an account of how eight students and staff of the school were abducted at gunpoint by people suspected to be kidnappers.

    The Principal, Yunus Emre Dogan, said the gunmen arrived the school premises on Friday night armed and began to shoot sporadically, adding that there was panic everywhere.

    Yunus said that the abductors swiftly dashed into the female hostel where three students were kidnapped alongside the house mistress and a Turkish teacher that teaches mathematics in the school.

    According to him, the abductors dug a big hole through a side of the College’s perimeter fence from where they escaped through the bushy and swampy part of the area.

    The Principal offered the explanation of the incident when the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Princess Yetunde Onanuga, visited the school on Saturday in company of other members of the state Executive Council for on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
    The Nation gathered that among those abducted are three regular students and two others who were preparing for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board exams, and three members of staff while a cook was also taken away from the kitchen.

    Addressing the agonizing parents at the school, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, assured that the government was committed to the safe return of the students, saying state government had put security measure in place in that direction.

    The Deputy Governor appealed to parents and guardians of the pupils to remain calm and not engage in panic withdrawal of their children from the school.

    “We are here to express our concern and symphaty. It is unfortunate that, this is happening barely few days on school resumption. Wheen we heard about it, we quickly sprang into action, hence the urgent visit.

    “Our government has put necessary security measure in place for the rescue of the abductees. Ogun State is already in action. Let me reassure you that we are going to rescue the victims soon.

    “No doubt, it does happen once a while but it’s unfortunate, the state is aware and we are doing the work, we will do all that is possible for the safe return of the children. The FG is aware and they habe also assured us that very very soon, they would be rescued.

    “It’s not the time to start taking children out of the schools, the security operatives are all on ground to ensure safety of life and property of the school. We will do all that is possible to make sure the school is safe and the school authority is also doing what is possible to ensure that the state is safe,” she said

    Mr Ahmad Ajani, whose daughter – Hanatullah Aderinto Ajani(22), was one of the abducted pupils, said he got the information on Friday night that his girl has been kidnapped.

    Ajani who described the incident as sad and unfortunate said his child was in the school to prepare for the forthcoming JAMB exams.

    “Somebody called in the midnight that something happened here and my daughter was involved, I had to come down this morning and the Police Commissioner addressed us assuring that they would work on it and that everything would be alright very soon.

    “I am very sad but prayerful that the they are rescued on time, as I am standing, I am traumatised, you can imagine a girl of 22 preparing for University and somebody took her away, it is a big issue.”

    But Funmi Tijani has blamed the management of the school for the security lapses that led to the abduction.

    Mrs Tijani said the College did not put in place enough security measures including security, to forestall the incident.

    She said, “We parents jointly resolved and agreed that we have to take away our children at least for the first one week, until we are convinced about perfect security arrangement in place.

    “The road is not tarred, no security light, bushes all around, last year, the school was closed down for two weeks because of flood. What we are saying is that ‘let there be adequate security.

    “We are taking our Children away, we’ve agreed amongst ourselves to take our children away for a week, my daughter saw them, witnessed the whole scenerio and she’s traumatised, psychologically, they are not balanced, you don’t expect me to leave her behind.”