Tanimun Yanware, a former councillor of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, and his friend, Malam Ashiru were kidnapped by bandits along Katsina road and sold to a terror kingpin, Dogo Gide for N10 million.
Gide who later moved the captives to his camp in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, placed N30 million ransom on them, triple the amount of what he bought them from his fellow terrorists.
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According to a Zamfara-based journalist, Abdul Balarabe, the family of the captives had paid over N9 million and a brand new Boxer motorcycle as ransom to the terror kingpin, but they lost their lives.
The ex-councillor and his friend were killed after spending nine months in captivity, according to a Twitter post by Balarabe.
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He explained that the councillor died while trying to get his way out of bandits’ enclave in Birnin Gwari.
RANSOM PAID IN INSTALMENTS
A family source told Balarabe that ransom was being paid in instalment to the terror leader. According to the source, the family initially paid N5 million and N2 million in two phases.
He revealed that the former councilor’s friend, Ashiru died in captivity as a result of gunshot wounds at the point of their abduction.
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A few days later, the ex-councilor joined his friend when military aircraft bombarded terror camps in Birnin Gwari forest. He then espaced alongsiode other abductees and they journeyed for three days but he could not survive it.
“But the source said he (the ex-councilor) was unable to survive the three days long trip in the forest as he asked other escapees to inform his relations that he will die,” Balarabe disclosed in his tweet. “He added that, his dead body was evacuated on Thursday while relations conducted his funeral prayers at Tsafe.”
Mohammed Shehu, spokesman for Zamfara Police Command could not be reached for comments and a text message sent to him had not been responded to at press time.
