Bandits in Kuduru, a neighbouring community of Bwari Area Council in Abuja, have demanded a ransom of N290 million for the release of seven abducted residents.
The demand for such a large ransom highlights the seriousness of the situation and the potential danger faced by the hostages.
The Bandits abducted the victims on January 28 at Kuduru Extension. The victims, who have spent over a month in captivity, include a pregnant woman, three children and four adults who by the bandits spent over a month in captivity.
Moreover, according to a leader of the community who did not want to be named, the bandits have threatened to kill two out of the victims if the N290 million is not paid on time.
He said the abductors also demanded food items, drugs, bed sheets and cardigans.
“They have reached out to us to bring N290 million to secure their release or that they will kill two of them. We have a pregnant woman and three children among them,” he said.
“They asked us to bring bags of rice, packs of Indomie, cough syrups, antibiotics, bedsheets and cardigans for the bandits’ use. They insist that the N290 million ransom must be complete for them to let our people go.”
He pleaded with Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP) and Taoreed Lagbaja, the chief of army staff, to come to the rescue of the hostages.
“We know that they are trying their best but we plead with them to rescue our families like they did to the six sisters and the Ariyos,” he said.
“We understand that these people are already falling sick in captivity because of the harsh weather and the treatment there.”
Babaji Usman Babaji is an investigative journalist with over four years of experience, renowned for his impactful reporting on corruption, human rights violations, and holding those in power accountable in Nigeria.
His career is distinguished by participation in numerous media training programs and conferences, which have honed his investigative and reporting skills. Babaji’s data-driven stories have made a significant impact, particularly in Northern Nigeria, shedding light on critical issues and driving meaningful change.
As a reporter under WikkiTimes’ Collaborative Media (CMEDIA) Project, Babaji has led several groundbreaking investigations. He was a 2022 fellow of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and a 2024 Media Foundation for West Africa DPI/DPG fellow. His contributions to accountability journalism earned him a Certificate of Recognition from Xchange Hama Media for impactful community work.
