Abductors of 22 Abuja farmers demand N15m

By Abubakar Sadiq Isah

The abductors of 22 farmers at Rafin-Daji community in Gurdi ward of Abaji Area Council of the FCT have demanded N15 million ransom to release their victims.

Daily Trust had reported that bandits last Wednesday afternoon abducted 22 farmers, including two women, while working on their farms in Rafin-Daji community on the border with Zago village in Niger State.

A relation of one of the victims, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter through telephone on Monday that the bandits’ leader phoned on Saturday evening to demand the ransom.

He said, “At about 5pm on Saturday the leader of the bandits called and demanded the family to raise N15m for them before they will release the victims.”

He said negotiations were ongoing, adding that the families of the victims were still finding it difficult how to raise such an amount of money.

“In fact, when we told the man that the victims were peasant farmers and it would be difficult for them to raise such money, the bandits’ leader cut off the call.”

The District Head of Gulida, Abubakar Sadauna, confirmed the ransom demand.

He said, “Actually, some of the families of the abducted farmers came to inform me that the bandits are demanding N15m ransom before the victims will be released. And since that Saturday, they have not called again.”

The spokesman of the Niger State Police Command, ASP Wasiu Abiodun, was yet to reply an SMS sent to him about the ransom demand.