The perpetrators behind the abduction of over 200 students and staff from a school in Kariga, Kaduna, last Thursday have made a chilling demand for N1 billion naira as ransom for their release. This information was revealed to Reuters by a local councilor and Jubril Aminu, a community leader acting as a spokesperson for the families of the victims.
This ransom demand comes just days after the abduction of 15 students in Tsangaya, Sokoto, where the kidnappers demanded N20 million for their release.
According to Aminu, the kidnappers contacted him via telephone on Tuesday, March 12, to discuss the ransom. “They made a total of N1 billion ransom demand for all the pupils, students, and staff of the school,” he stated. Additionally, Aminu disclosed that the kidnappers issued a grim ultimatum, threatening to harm the abductees if the ransom was not paid within 20 days. “They said they would kill all the students and the staff if the ransom demand was not met,” Aminu emphasized.
Idris Ibrahim, an elected official from the Kuriga Ward Municipal Council, confirmed this information, stating that the kidnappers communicated with the community through Aminu’s number, albeit from a hidden phone number. “Yes, the kidnappers called the community through Jubril Aminu’s number and made the demand,” Ibrahim affirmed, adding that efforts are underway to trace the origin of the call.
The recent spate of abductions in Sokoto, Borno, and Kaduna has left communities on edge, with no news yet regarding the release of the victims. Authorities are intensifying efforts to address these alarming incidents and secure the safe return of those held captive.
