While bandits demand food items, N290m to release seven victims abducted in Kuduru
A director at Federal Housing Authority, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) identified as Aondo Ver, has been reportedly kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be bandits in Abuja.
According to report, the incident happened at Pambara New Extension, which is about 200 metres away from the military camp and checkpoint in Bwari Central Area of FCT at about 12:30 am on Thursday.
The kidnappers were said to have gained access through the fence after cutting the barb wires, overpowering the local vigilante group in the area who attempted to rescue the victim with superior firearms
In a related development, bandits who abducted seven residents of Kuduru, a neighbouring community of Bwari Area Council in Abuja, have demanded N290 million ransom to release the hostages.
The residents, including a pregnant woman, three children and three adults, who have spent one month and four days in captivity were abducted on December 28 at the Kuduru extension by the bandits.
According to a leader of the community who did not want to be named, the bandits have threatened to kill two out of the victims if the N290 million is not paid on time. He said the abductors also demanded food items, drugs, bed sheets and cardigans.
“They have reached out to us to bring N290 million to secure their release or that they will kill two of them. We have a pregnant woman and three children among them,” he said.
“They asked us to bring bags of rice, packs of Indomie, cough syrups, antibiotics, bedsheets and cardigans for the bandits’ use. They insist that the N290 million ransom must be complete for them to let our people go.”
He pleaded with Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff, to come to the rescue of the hostages.
“We know that they are trying their best but we plead with them to rescue our families like they did to the six sisters and the Ariyos. We understand that these people are already falling sick in captivity because of the harsh weather and the treatment there.”
As of the time of filing the report, efforts to reach the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, for clarification were futile.
By Lawrence Bajah
