Abducted Kaduna villagers still held after N10m ransom payment

The abducted 19 residents of Kudiri village in Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State still remain in captivity for 64 days despite payment of N10m ransom and two brand new Bajaj motorcycles by the victims’ relations to their abductors.

City & crime had reported that the abductors of the victims had two weeks ago, according to a relation of one the victims demanded for two brand new Bajaj motorcycles as a condition to free the victims.

A source who was part of the negotiation of ransom with the bandits but preferred anonymity, told our reporter through a telephone on Wednesday, that the bandits had refused to free the victims despite money for the two motorcycles given to them.

“It was last week, when the bandits’ leader called and asked that the victims’ relations should shelve the idea of buying the motorcycle and send the money to them in cash, in which the money of the two motorcycles was taken to them at a location,” he said.

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He added that aside from the money for the two motorcycles, drugs, food stuffs, wine, packets of cigarettes and Indian hemp were also purchased to the bandits, saying the bandits were still holding the victims in their captivity.

He said the 19 abducted victims had spent 64 days in bandits’ den without freeing the victims, even as he said three, including a pastor’s daughter, managed to escape from their abductors.

“And as I speak, the remaining 16 victims are still with the bandits and someone can’t reach them, except their leader who normally calls by using different phone numbers. But since they collected money for the two motorcycles, their leader has not called again, which is quite worrisome,” he added.

The Mai Unguwar of Kudiri, Malami Wakili Iliya, who also spoke with our reporter, expressed worry over non-release of the victims despite payment of N10 million ransom and money for two motorcycles to the bandits.

“In fact, today, being Wednesday, December 27 2023, makes it 64 days when these subjects were abducted. So, I appeal to you to also join us in prayers to see that they are released,” he said.

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command is yet to react to the development as at the time of filing the report.