Late Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua, popular referred to as Prophet TB Joshua died after asking for account details to pay a N200 million ransom for kidnapped pupils.
This was revealed after the release of the 90 kidnapped pupils of Salihu Islamic school, Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.
Head Teacher of the school, Alhassan Garba Abubakar and some parents of the pupils wished that the late clergyman was alive to witness the release of the wards and receive them.
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Abubakar confirmed that TB Joshua in fact offered to pay the ransom but died the day he asked for the details of the school’s account.
Expressing mixed feelings over the release of the children after a long stay in the hands of the bandits, Abubakar said;
“The Man of God intended to transfer the N200 million ransom and he prayed for us and for the release of the children.
“Even though we could not get the promised money, we really appreciate T.B Joshua.”
The Niger State government had refused to pay the ransom, saying that the bandits will use the funds to buy more sophisticated weapons and continue to terrorize the state.
Abubakar and some of the parents thanked God for the children’s release.
According to Abubakar: “Except for the child that we lost, we thank Allah that all of them returned alive and well.” He was, however, evasive over the amount of the ransom paid saying: “I meant the ones gathered by the parents and well-meaning people; it does not mean the state government did.”
A parent who spoke under anonymity said, “We do not pray that this happens again or to any parent. It was a painful and traumatic experience for all of us.
“Every day we woke up with pain. Some of us parents as a result of this issue became hypertensive. But we thank God that the ransoms kept our children alive until they were finally rescued.
“Even though we sold our valuables, we are happy our children returned back home alive. We thank God for Prophet T.B Joshua for his role because when he told us that he will pay the N200 million ransom we were so happy but later heard that he died that same day we were to send our bank details.”
The Proprietor of Islamic School, Mallam Idris Umar and father of a nine-year-old boy that died in captivity said though he was happy with the safe return of the pupils, he, however, is pained by his inability to give his son a proper burial.
Umar, whose five children were among the 91 children kidnapped, told journalists in Minna: “Although, I see the death of my child as the will of God, I would have been more fulfilled if the child had died at home.
“This would have given me the opportunity to give him a befitting burial. I thank Allah that the others are alive and also other children that were kidnapped. Their continued stay with the bandits was a traumatic experience for all of us.
“But despite all that happened, today everyone is happy over the release of the entire children. We thank God that all our pains and sufferings are over.”
While narrating their ordeal, one of the released children, who gave his name as Musa, claimed that the day they were kidnapped, they trekked for hours without food or water to drink and they crossed many villages.
According to Musa, who spoke in Hausa language: “We trekked for days without food or water. We only rested a little when the bandits noticed that we were tired and afterwards continued.
“And it was so difficult since we had to carry the little ones on the back as they could no longer walk because they were weak and tired before we finally got to the hideouts of the bandits in the forest.
“Since we got kidnapped, we never took our bath. We were fed with small amounts of Indomie or beans in our hands. Some days, we stayed hungry as there was nothing to eat.
“We were kept together in one small room in the forest. Sometimes, we are beaten if we try to complain of hunger or ask questions. We thank God we are alive and reunited with our families.”
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