Fifty-five days after they were abducted from the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, 27 students of the 37 abducted from their school dormitories have also regained freedom Wednesday.

Sources told a reputable news platform that the students were received around Kidandan in Giwa Local Government Area of the state after a ransom of about N15 million was paid to the bandits and a convict was released.

It was also gathered that the release of the students was delayed even after payment of ransom last month because the bandits insisted on the release of one of their own arrested by the police.

The identified bandit, whose name was given simply as Laulu, was moved to Kaduna from a police facility in Kano on Tuesday ahead of the prisoner swap.

The negotiations suffered setbacks after the abductor, known as Buderu, reneged on his promise even after payment of the agreed sum.

It was learnt that father of one Buhari, alias General, who is also a fierce bandit had to be brought in to use his son in forcing Baderu to agree on the deal.

But Buderu, it was learned, insisted that even if no more money would be given to him, a relative of his arrested at Falgore Forest in Kano State must be released.

The students were released to intermediaries who served as a go-between between negotiators and the group, which masterminded the kidnapping on March 11, 2021.