Kidnappers take N250k ransom, kill victim in Kaduna

The family of Esther Katung, who was abducted on September 14, have lamented how kidnappers took a ransom of N250,000 after killing her.

The deceased, whose husband is the pastor of the ECWA church in the village, was abducted in Bagoma, Birnin Gwari local government area of Kaduna state, when bandits broke into their home about 11:30pm.

Ishaku Katung, her husband, was said to have escaped with serious injuries when the kidnappers attacked them.

A family source said the deceased and two other victims escaped from captivity but the deceased was not lucky as she was caught by the kidnappers who broke her leg and smashed her head, leading to her death.

The bandits were said to have dumped her corpse in the bush. Her body was discovered days after the family went to pay the ransom.

The source said having killed her, the kidnappers gave the impression that she was alive and insisted on the payment of ransom for her release.

The kidnappers were said to have demanded N5 million as ransom, but after a series of negotiations and pleading, they agreed to take N250,000 for her release.

The source explained that the people who went to deliver the ransom had to run for their lives as the bandits burnt their motorcycles after collecting the money.

Confirming the incident, Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)in the state, said human life “no longer means anything in the country”.

He said the rate of kidnappings in the state is “very scary”, noting that people are living under perpetual fear of the unknown.

“What really happened is that she wanted to escape with two others. They killed her and dumped her corpse in the bush,” Hayab said.

“After they killed her, they were still demanding for the ransom without telling us that they had killed her and the ransom was delivered to them.

“They burnt the motorcycle of those who went to deliver the ransom and collected their mobile phones”.

Efforts to reach Yakubu Sabo, spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, for reaction were unsuccessful as his mobile phone was switched off as of the time of filing this report.

In August, Jeremiah Omolewa, resident pastor of the Living Faith Church in Romi New Extension, a suburb in the state, was killed while his wife was abducted.

The incident happened along Kaduna-Abuja road. While his son escaped, the gunmen took his widow into the forest and later contacted the family of the victim to demand a ransom of N50 million.

She was released after ransom was paid.