Out of 150 students who have been held captive by militants in Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state, 16 of them were released in ransom.
Militants of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) early last month kidnapped 150 university students while travelling from the country’s Amhara region to the capital, Addis Ababa,
Families of the released students told APA on Wednesday that they have secured the release of their students after paying ransom of up to 500,000 Ethiopian birr or $5000.
They learned that over 100 students are still in the hands of captors.
The Oromia Regional State’s Communication Bureau said the regional government had secured the release of 160 students who were abducted at Gebre Guracha in Oromia regional state, about 155 kilometers north of Addis Ababa.
The freed students, consisting of 9 female and male 7 students who spoke to APA on condition of anonymity, said their release came after their families transferred the money in a bank which they did not want to mention.
Families of the students said their children had to travel a long distance on foot from a rural area (about 5 kilometers) to reach Tulu Milky town.
“They looked starved and did want to talk to anyone,” they said.
The federal government and the Oromia regional state have not commented on the matter until this writing despite repeated calls for abducted families and human rights groups.
MG/as/APA