Bandits seize N5m ransom bearer, 37 other abductees

From John Adams, Minna

The impunity by armed bandits in Niger State continued, on Sunday, when they held back a man who took N5 million ransom to them and demanded additional N1 million and motorcycles for his release and 30 others still in captivity.

The bandits, after much pleading by the community, agreed to collect N5 million ransom for the release of 55 people, including women and children abducted from Zagzaga community in Munya Local Government Area of the state, last month.

However, last Saturday morning, a man from the community was delegated as instructed by the bandits to take the N5 million to them in the bush only to be held back by the bandits who asked the community to pay additional N1 million and four motorcycles before he could regain his freedom alongside the 55 people earlier being held.

But, last Sunday night, the unexpected happened as no fewer than 19 of the captives escaped from the bandits dean, including the man who took the ransom to them, leaving about 37 still being held.

The village head of Zagzaga, Mallam Musa Umoru, who confirmed the latest development to Daily Sun on phone, said the bandits after collecting the N5 million ransom still asked the community to pay N1 million for the man who took the money to them.

“We struggled to borrow money, when help could not come from anywhere, to raise the N5 million which they later agreed, but when we delegated someone to take the money to them, they decided to hold him back and asked us to pay N1 million and four motorcycles for his release.

“They also said that they will not release the other people until we pay the N 1million before they can release all of them. We have borrowed enough and we don’t know who to meet for help again.

“Since this incident happened over a month now, nobody has come to the village here to even identify with us, not to talk of helping us. We have sold everything we had laboured for to be able to raise this money, and now they are asking for more,” he lamented.

The village head also confirmed that 19 people, including the man who took the ransom to the bandits, miraculously escaped from the bandits last Sunday night, adding that despite that, the bandits insisted that N1 million must be paid.

This is in addition to the eight people, four men and four women, who had earlier escaped two weeks ago.