The nine abducted undergraduate students of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, have regained their freedom six days after, Peoples Gazette learnt on Sunday.

A family source of one of the victims disclosed that the students were released on Saturday night after paying a ransom fee of one million naira per head.

The nine undergraduate students are 300-level students of the Department of French.

The Gazette had reported how the students were abducted last week Sunday on Kaduna-Abuja Highway while embarking on a road trip to Lagos, for a mandatory language immersion programme at the Nigeria French Language Village in Badagry, which was initially delayed by the pandemic. 

Ashiru Tijjani Zango, ABU head of security, confirmed to the Gazette Sunday morning that the students have reunited with their families. 

“Yes it’s true, I called the head of department and she confirmed to me that the students have been released. She said she will contact the family members before they make it public,” Mr. Zango said.

But the police in Kaduna said they were not aware of the development, promising to make necessary inquiries before commenting to the Gazette.