Bandits demand N40trn ransom for 16 kidnapped Kaduna residents

The abductors of 16 residents of the Gonin Gora area of Kaduna metropolis have demanded a ransom of N40 trillion for their release.

On February 28, bandits stormed the Gonin-Gora community, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis in the Chikun Local Government Area, abducting 16 residents.

The N40 trillion ransom demand by the bandits comes a few days after 287 schoolchildren were kidnapped in Kuriga, another community in Chikun.

A community leader in the area, John Yusuf, said this during a telephone interview with The Nation Newspaper on Monday in Kaduna.

He said, “The bandits have contacted us. They are demanding N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans, and 150 motorcycles for the release of 16 people they are holding captive.

“Where are we going to get this kind of money? Even if we sell the entire community, we cannot raise N40 trillion. Even Nigeria as a country has never made a budget of N40 trillion.”

Yusuf revealed that the bandits invaded the community two times within a week.

“The abductions happened twice within a four-day interval. During the first attack, three people were kidnapped, while in the second attack, 13 people were abducted, bringing the total number of people being held captive to 16.”

He urged the government to establish a military base in the area to curb the activities of the criminals.

He pleaded, “We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community.

“We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community.

“From our community down to Birnin Gwari, which is over 150 kilometres, is a stretch of bush.

“We also have another stretch of bushes from Gonin Gora down to Niger State.

“So when the criminals have free access through the bushes to our community, we are pleading with the government to help us.”