Bandits demanding N290m to free 7 kidnap victims in Niger state, says community leader

Bandits have reportedly requested N290 million and food items as ransom for the release of seven persons abducted from the Kuduru community in Tafa LGA of Niger state.

Kuduru is a border community between Niger state and Bwari area council of the federal capital territory (FCT).

The victims, including a pregnant woman and three children, were abducted on December 28, 2023.

A community leader who pleaded anonymity said the bandits have threatened to kill some of the victims if the requested ransom is not paid on time.

He said the abductors also demanded food items, drugs, bed sheets and cardigans as part of the ransom.

“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,” the source 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.”

The community leader urged 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.”

The bandits had initially demanded N300 million as ransom for the abductees. Days later, they increased the sum to N500 million after family members failed to raise the N300 million.