Bandits execute 5 kidnap victims after ransom deadline passes in Niger

After spending two weeks in captivity, five of the over 60 victims abducted from Adunu in Kafin-Koro district of Paikoro and Beni in Munya local government areas of Niger State were executed by their abductors for failure to meet the deadline for the payment of the N100 million ransom the kidnappers demanded.

Among those killed were a retired police officer, Mr Moses Tanko (aka Arada System) and a serving police officer whose name has not been confirmed at the time of reporting.

The two victims were among those abducted from Adunu village two weeks ago.

A source close to the District Head of Adunu, Mallam Kabiru Bawa, told Daily Sun that three women were set free by the bandits after raping them, allowing them to go back to their community to tell the news of the execution of the five victims, with the threat that more victims would be killed if the kidnappers’ demand of the N100 million ransom is not met.

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The three others, one Ibo, Yoruba and a Gbagy, were among those abducted from the Beni community in the Munya local government area of the state.

Hundreds of gunmen had invaded Adunu and Beni communities in broad daylight and sacked the two communities, killing a medical practitioner, while over 60 people including women and children were taken away.

It was gathered from a source close to the communities that those who could afford between 10,000 to 20,000 cash regardless of either old or new naira notes were set free by the gunmen during the raid

It was further gathered that eight people, including a son of the District Head and three women, escaped to freedom when the Bandits ran into an ambush by the Joint Security Taskforce at Itu Village in Munya local government on their way to their destination with their victims.

According to our source, the bandits had earlier demanded N200 million for the release of their victims who have now been moved from Birnin Gwari forest to Zamfara forest but later reduced it to N100 million and gave Sunday, 26th as the deadline.

The five of the victims were however executed on Monday evening while the women were released on Tuesday to go and inform the community of the execution.

The state Police Command is yet to issue a statement on the latest development and all attempts to get confirmation from the Commissioner for Internal Security and Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Umar could not yield any result as his phone was not going through.