Bandits demand cough syrup, rice to free 7 persons abducted in Abuja

Bandits, who abducted seven residents of Kuduru community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on December 28, have demanded N290 million ransom, drugs and foodstuffs to release the hostages, Vanguard has reported.

Ripples Nigeria reports that the victims, including a pregnant woman, three children and four adults, have now spent one month and four days in captivity

According to a leader in the community (names withheld), quoted by the report, the bandits had threatened to kill two of the victims if their demands were not met 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.

Read also: Cost of electricity may go up, as minister suggests removal of subsidy, ‘cost reflective tariff’

“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”, the community leader said.

The community leader therefore begged the Inspector General of Police IGP, Kayode Egbetokun and the Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, 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”, he said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now