Ransom: Bandits threaten to kill Niger abductees, give 2-day ultimatum

Bandits have threatened to kill the remaining abducted farmers from Kafin-Koro, Kwagana and adjoining communities in Paikoro LGA of Niger State if ransom is not paid in two days. City & Crime gathered that four of the victims were released two days ago to inform the relatives of the other abductees of their decision to […]

Bandits have threatened to kill the remaining abducted farmers from Kafin-Koro, Kwagana and adjoining communities in Paikoro LGA of Niger State if ransom is not paid in two days.

City & Crime gathered that four of the victims were released two days ago to inform the relatives of the other abductees of their decision to kill them if ransom is not paid.

The Coordinator, Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Diocese of Minna, Rev Fr Bahago Dauda Musa, who has been in close touch with the affected communities since the incident, confirmed that the victims, including women, were undergoing harsh treatments in the hands of bandits.

In a 16-minute video released by the bandits after four of the victims were released to take the ransom message, one of the bandits in military camouflage shoots two men on their feet, while the remaining victims are heard screaming.

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Rev Fr Bahago confirmed that the video was real, as he interpreted the message to one of the women in the video passed to their relations in Koro language.

He said, “They are our people from Kafin-Koro. That woman was calling some people’s names, saying that they should try to come and collect them; that they should see how they are suffering. Four out of the people abducted were released two days ago before this video surfaced. The woman spoke in Koro language.”

Daily Trust had reported in March, how dozens of farmers were abducted in Kafin-Koro, Kwagana and adjoining communities and how the bandits later demanded N100m ransom.

City & Crime further reports that the state’s police command and the immediate past administration in the state had on several occasions assured that they would secure the release of the victims.