Kidnap victims groan under ransom debts

As incidences of kidnapping continue to be recorded across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially in some rural communities of Abuja south of the territory, many of the victims that regained their freedom are now reeling under the burden of huge debts hanging on their necks. The victims said their family members incurred the debts […]

As incidences of kidnapping continue to be recorded across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially in some rural communities of Abuja south of the territory, many of the victims that regained their freedom are now reeling under the burden of huge debts hanging on their necks.

The victims said their family members incurred the debts to pay ransom for their freedom.

Aso Chronicle findings have revealed that family members of the affected victims were forced to source for money either through selling of the victims’ property or borrowing to meet the ransom demand from kidnappers.

Malam Lawal Abubakar, a petty trader in Abaji town, who was kidnapped by armed men on June 17, 2019, at his residence in Naharati in Abaji, said he has not finished repaying the N700,000 which his family borrowed while he was in captivity.

Abubakar, who has to two wives and six children, while speaking with our reporter, said his family sourced for N1 million to pay the ransom before he was set free by his abductors.

He said his family borrowed N700,000 and added N300,000 that was collected from his petty trading savings to get the N1 million paid to his abductors, adding that he has only paid back N200,000 to his debtors.

He lamented that since he was kidnapped and released, his petty trading has not picked up yet, making it difficult for him to clear the debt and look after his family.

Similarly, Umar Kasimu, who was abducted by kidnappers along with his wife, Hussaina Kasim, also in Naharati, while speaking with our reporter, said he paid N1 million ransom after intensive negotiations with the kidnappers before he, and his wife regained their freedom.

He said he operates a provision shop in the area and used to make daily contribution, adashe, from where he sourced part of the ransom money as a loan.

According to him, he raised N530,000 from his provisions shop and also through financial support from some of his relatives to add to N370,000 which he borrowed  to raise the ransom demanded.

He said he is still indebted to friends and family members to the tune of N270,000 even as he said his shop has remained closed since the incident as there was no money for him to restock the shop.

“In fact, it was just yesterday that I was able to get some little money through the help of some of my colleagues that are also into trading. They helped me with some money and I went to Suleja and bought some goods which I put in the shop. My shop had remained closed since the kidnap incident due to the debt I owe,” he said.

A retired civil servant, who prefers anonymity, is also among those kidnapped and who had to borrow to regain their freedom from kidnappers.

He said he paid N1.4 million to his abductors before he was set free, explaining that when he was abducted on July 10, 2019 in his residence in the area, he had no money in the house or in the bank, so his family members were forced to sell some of his valuables before they could raise N900,000.

He added that his family was left with the headache of raising N500,000 to complete the ransom amount and that since there was no option, they had to borrow from different sources. He lamented that six months after his freedom, he was yet to pay back the debt.

“I am still struggling to see how I will raise the balance of N300,000 out of the N500,000 debt I owe,” he said.

He said since he retired from the civil service some years ago, he has been into farming.

The wife of one of the kidnapped Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) official in Pegi community of Kuje Area Council, who also spoke with our reporter on condition of anonymity, said her husband was still indebted to the tune of N420,000 from the N1.2 million ransom paid to his kidnappers.

She said her husband was among those kidnapped at Pegi community on October 7, 2019.

“Even as I am talking to you, my husband is still indebted to the tune of N420,000 but I believe had he not spent a lot of money for treatment in hospital, he could have finished repaying the debt by now,” she said.

Similarly, two brothers who were abducted in Kwaita village in Dobi ward of Gwagwalada Area Council by kidnappers sometime in early November, also said the sum of N1.5 million was paid to their abductors before they were set free.

One of the brothers who sought anonymity told our reporter that their relatives borrowed the sum of N650,000 which they added to the N850,000 they were able to raise to pay the ransom.

He said their farm produce was sold to raise N850,000 while N650,000 was borrowed, adding that they have repaid N250,000 but were still struggling to see how they could pay the balance of N400,000.

A staff of health department in Abaji Area Council, who also does not want his name mentioned, told our reporter that he was also indebted to the sum of N400,000 out of N600,000 that his colleagues borrowed to add to N900,000 to raise N1.5 million and pay ransom when he was abducted by kidnappers at Kwaita village, along Abuja-Lokoja road early in December, 2019.

He disclosed that he borrowed the money through the cooperative society which he was part of, lamenting that the indebtedness has become a serious burden on him.

“Things have not been easy for me. You see, my wife is still battling with the gunshot wound she sustained from the kidnappers, I lost my daughter in the process, while debts are still hanging on my neck.  I pray God to make it easier for me,” he said.