, ▁a ▁principal ▁and ▁three ▁staff ▁members ▁were ▁taken ▁into ▁the ▁bush , ▁then ▁march ed ▁to ▁B af ut , ▁by pass ing ▁numerous ▁security ▁check points ▁that ▁operate ▁in ▁and ▁around ▁B am enda . ▁The ▁students ▁were ▁between ▁the ▁ages ▁of ▁ 1 1 ▁and ▁ 1 7 . ▁The ▁following ▁day , ▁Cam ero onian ▁authorities ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁military ▁would ▁be ▁sent ▁to ▁find ▁and ▁free ▁the ▁students . ▁These ▁searches ▁were ▁un success ful . ▁ ▁On ▁November ▁ 7 , ▁all ▁ 7 9 ▁students ▁were ▁released , ▁while ▁the ▁principal ▁and ▁three ▁staff ▁members ▁remained ▁under ▁capt ivity . ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 2 , ▁the ▁remaining ▁capt ives ▁were ▁released ▁too . ▁Although ▁the ▁Cam ero onian ▁authorities ▁had ▁been ▁unable ▁to ▁locate ▁the ▁students , ▁they ▁never theless ▁took ▁some ▁credit ▁for ▁the ▁release , ▁claim ing ▁the ▁kid n app ers ▁gave ▁up ▁due ▁to ▁fear s ▁of ▁being ▁surrounded . ▁ ▁Pur pose ▁of ▁the ▁kid n apping ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁a ▁Pres by ter ian ▁minister ▁who ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁negoti ations , ▁no ▁r ans om ▁was ▁demanded . ▁The ▁kid n app ers ▁wanted ▁the ▁school ▁to ▁close ▁down , ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁school ▁boy c ott ▁declared ▁by ▁separ at ists ▁the ▁year ▁before . ▁Stud ents ▁who ▁were ▁kid n apped ▁said ▁the ▁kid n app ers ▁told ▁them ▁to ▁stop ▁going ▁to ▁school , ▁and ▁task ed ▁them ▁with ▁con ve ying ▁the ▁message