Bandits Kill Kidnapped LG Director of Works in Niger after Collecting Ransom

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Bandits who kidnapped the Director of Works of Mariga Local Government Area in Niger State, Alhaji Yakubu Abdullahi Bala, has killed him after collecting ransom from his family.

Also, not less than 23 others abducted by the gunmen from Mariga town are said to still be in the custody of their abductors.

THISDAY learnt that Bala was abducted from his home at about 1 a.m. last weekend.

According to the findings, the late director was in the room with his two wives-one of them almost nine months pregnant-when the gunmen knocked at the door.

One of the wives, according to the report, opened the door only to be faced with a gun with the gunmen asking for her husband.

 It was said that the gunmen forced their way into the house and took away Bala to an unknown destination.

The bandits also sacked the neighbourhood and took into captivity not less than 25 people.

The sister of the deceased, Hajia Hadiza Abdullahi, who confirmed the story to THISDAY, said three days after her brother and others were kidnapped, the bandits called for a ransom of N50 million before he would be released.

She added: “We raised million but the bandits did not release my brother,” adding that relations of four others kidnapped were able to contribute N2million each, which they took to the abductors in the forest before their family members were released.

“It was when these people came from the forest that we were told that my brother had been killed by the gunmen two days after he was kidnapped,” Abdullahi said.

She said the released victims narrated that her brother had his two legs broken and was tied to a tree and  bleeding from the nose and mouth before he finally died, adding that they were told that he was buried in a shallow grave in the forest.

Abdullahi disclosed that the second wife of her brother was delivered of a baby girl through Cesarean operation after the death of her husband was made known to them, adding that the deceased left behind two wives and 10 children.

The state Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun, when contacted, said he was in a meeting, and would call back but never did.