Follow Us on Google
From John Adams Minna
After about 130 days in captivity, the remaining seven victims who were abducted from Adunu community in Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State have been released by their abductors.
The seven victims, all women, were released last Sunday evening, after the bandits collected seven Honda motorcycles from the community. The victims were among the over 100 that were abducted from the community on March 14 this year after the gunmen invaded the community in broad daylight and operated for several hours without challenge.
No fewer than 63 eventually made it to the kidnappers’ den after some of them escaped on their way when the gunmen encountered security agents. A retired police officer, Moses Tanko, aka Arada, was executed by the bandits, while in captivity to put pressure on the community to pay the N100 million earlier demanded as random by the gunmen.
Confirming the release of the remaining seven victims to Daily Sun on telephone yesterday, the district head of Adunu, Mallam Kabiru Adunu, said the victims were set free by their captors after the community delivered four Honda motorcycles requested by the gunmen.
He disclosed that the community had earlier parted with N11,131,000 and six Honda motorcycles to secure the release of the 56 about two months ago, adding that “the seven women were being held by the gunmen who insisted that the community must provide four additional motorcycles.”
The district head said although all the seven women arrived home in good condition, they were, however, taken to the hospital for proper medical examination. He pointed out that the community did not receive any help from either the government or their political leaders towards securing the release of the victims, stressing that “the community members sold all their farm produce and other properties to raise the ransom.
“That was why it took the community over 130 days before we could secure their release. We appealed to both the government and our political leaders, but we could not get any assistance”.
He, however, disclosed that the community had written a letter through the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umiru Farouk Bahabgo, to the state government, requesting security presence in the area, to avoid further invasion by the gunmen.
“Until the government comes to our rescue by mobilising security to the area, my people are not safe. We are currently living in fear because anything can still happen,” he added.
