There were indications that the kidnappers of four students, a teacher and Junior School Principal of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla in Epe might have contacted the victims' families.
Unconfirmed reports stated that the gunmen, who stormed the school premises at about 8am on Thursday, reached out to the parents of the children through a private line and demanded an undisclosed amount as ransom.
The Nation gathered that the kidnappers contacted three families at 2:00A.m, 2:50A.m and 4:00A.m, a development that led the parents and school management to convene an emergency meeting, which lasted till about 5:30pm.
The kidnappers, it was learned, warned the parents not to disclose the ransom demanded to security agencies, as failure to adhere would jeopardise the safety of their loved one.
A relative to one of the victims said: "My sister's phone rang at about 2:50am and a male voice instructed her to leave the place if there was anyone with her. The stranger said he was calling in respect of our kidnapped relative. He warned that none of the conversation should be divulged to security agents.
"He threatened that if the instruction was not adhered to, the family would be held responsible for anything that happens to their relative.
"Yes, they demanded a ransom. But I can not tell you in order not to jeopardize the safety of our relative. But they demanded within the range of millions of naira. My sister pleaded with them to bring down the amount that her husband was at the moment out of job but the stranger did not respond.
"She also asked to speak with our relative with them, but she was not granted. She was told that she would be allowed to do so after the agreement was reached on the payment."
According to a source, some personal effects of the victims, including a mobile phone which fell off while they were being whisked away have been recovered.
Meanwhile, security agencies on Thursday intensified search and rescue operations around Epe, Ikorodu and Ijebu-Ode, using air, land and water strategies.
It was gathered that the security agencies were also tracking the kidnappers to ascertain their identities and exact location.
Asked why the security forces did not sweep the school, especially areas the gunmen touched for fingerprints, the source said fingerprints cannot be gotten from wooden furniture.
Efforts to get the police command's spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP) failed at the time of filing this report.
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