Drama as bandits prescribe drugs for sick victims

A mild drama played out after abductors of the 14 villagers at the neighbouring Gefe in Kujuru LGA of Kaduna State prescribed malaria drugs to families of their victims to treat some of them that are sick in their captivity.

City & Crime had reported that bandits, two weeks ago, invaded neighbouring Gefe village and whisked away 14 villagers including two women and demanded for N30 million ransom and three bikes.

A community leader from the area, who preferred anonymity for security reasons, confirmed the bandits’ request to our reporter through telephone on Tuesday.

He said the bandits’ leader called the families through one of the victims’ phones on Monday, informing them that three of the victims were suffering from malaria and needed to be given drugs.

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He said a family member of the victims, who came to inform him about the development, said the bandits’ leader ordered a man, who is negotiating the ransom to bring money to buy some prescribed drugs for them.

He said, “It was about 5 pm on Monday when one of the families of the victims came to inform me that the man who is negotiating ransom with the bandits said three among the victims were sick and needed to purchase certain malaria drugs for them.’’

He said it was worrisome that bandits would have such guts to call and demand money to buy drugs for victims being held hostage.

He said the bandits also demanded for foodstuffs from the families of the victims, even as he said the bandits’ leader kept mute over ransom negotiation but insisted that the families should first buy the drugs for them to treat the victims.

The community leader who expressed worry over the matter, appealed to security agents to assist in rescuing the victims.

The spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Hassan Mansur was yet to react to the matter as at the time of filing the report.