Report: How parents sold property to raise ransom for abducted children in Niger state

Abubakar Adam, a resident of Niger state, says he sold his car, land and other property to raise the ransom for the release of his 11 children. 

Adam’s children were part of the 156 students and teachers abducted from Salihu Tanko Islamic School located in Tegina town in Rafi LGA of the state on May 30.

The bandits had demanded N110 million ransom for the release of the abductees.

According to Reuters, Adam, a 40-year old tyre repairer, said he was able to raise N3 million after selling his property and clearing out his savings.

He sent the money, together with payments from other families, to the kidnappers.

The bandits took the ransom, seized one of the men delivering it without releasing the students. Instead, they sent back a new demand for more money and six motorcycles.

“We are in agony. Honestly, I don’t have anything left,” Adam, still unaware of the fate of his children after three months, said.

Aminu Salisu, another parent whose 8-year-old son was kidnapped, sold the wares in his shop to raise his share of the ransom while Abubakar Alhassan, the headmaster of the school, sold off half of his land.

The people of Tegina were said to have raised and paid N30 million but the bandits said the money was insufficient.

Gani Adams, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, had said victims of kidnapping in the south-west region lost over N3 billion, paid as ransom, within the last four years.

Earlier, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the minister of state for education, said the federal government is “constrained to stop negotiations” with bandits, adding that ransom payment is fuelling abductions.