Four Niger residents freed after ‘paying’ N3m ransom

Four persons kidnapped from Tafa, a town in Kagarko LGA of Niger state, have been released by bandits after paying N3million ransom.

The town plays host to a trailer park along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway, while some traditional medicine dealers also operate in the area.

The victims were abducted, after gunmen suspected to be bandits attacked the town around 1am, at a time the Muslim faithful were observing Tahajjud prayers.

According to a source who chose to remain anonymous, the gunmen were very young, and they invaded the house of a popular resident and kidnapped four of his children.

“They were young boys, about 10 in number; some carrying guns, while others were in front checking and giving instructions to the ones with guns to fire shots in the air,” the source said.

“They spoke fluent Hausa language. Their target was the house of one Dr. Lamiru Jibrin Sarkin Magani who was said to be away for Umrah in Saudi Arabia.

“Sarkin Magani was considered to be wealthy. When they couldn’t gain entrance into the main house, they went to the nearby house where his children live and took away four of them.”

A source close to the victims, who also confirmed the development, said the victims were released on Friday after spending four days with their abductors.

The release was also said to have been facilitated after a ransom of N3 million  ransom was paid to the kidnappers by the family of the victims.