Kidnappers Of 16 Kaduna Residents Demand N40 Trillion Ransom
Bandits who kidnapped no fewer than sixteen residents citizens of Kaduna State recently have reportedly demanded a ransom of N40 trillion for their release.
A community leader in the Gonin Gora area of Kaduna metropolis where the incident happened, John Yusuf, disclosed during a telephone interview with The Nation Newspaper on Monday.
The assailants had on Wednesday, February 28, attacked the Gonin-Gora community, which is located in the Chikun Local Government Area, whisking away the innocent residents.
The kidnappers have now asked for the huge some for the release of their victims.
It is worth noting that this ransom demand comes just four days after the abduction of 287 schoolchildren in Kuriga, another community within Chikun.
“The bandits have contacted us. They are demanding N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans, and 150 motorcycles for the release of 16 people they are holding captive.
“Where are we going to get this kind of money? Even if we sell the entire community, we cannot raise N40 trillion. Even Nigeria as a country has never made a budget of N40 trillion,” Yusuf told journalists on the phone.
The community leader said the bandits invaded the community two times within a week.
“The abductions happened twice within a four-day interval. During the first attack, three people were kidnapped, while in the second attack, 13 people were abducted, bringing the total number of people being held captive to 16,” Yusuf noted, expressing concern about the extensive bushes bordering the community and the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.
He called for the establishment of a military base in the area to curb the activities of the criminals.
“We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community.
“From our community down to Birnin Gwari, which is over 150 kilometres, is a stretch of bush.
“We also have another stretch of bushes from Gonin Gora down to Niger State.
“So when the criminals have free access through the bushes to our community, we are pleading with the government to help us,” the community leader pleaded.
