Bandits Kill Two Abuja Estate Victims, Increase Ransom to N700m

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Criminals who kidnapped 10 persons at Sagwari Estate Layout at Dutse in Bwari Area Council of the FCT have again killed two of the captives apparently over delay by their families in remittance of their ransom.

The corpses of two of the victims were on Monday morning dumped at Jere, along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

The unfortunate development has increased the number of the abductees so far killed in the unfolding episode to three following the killing on Friday of Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar

The undesirable elements had kidnapped the victims during a raid on Sagwari Estate on January 7.

They were initially demanding N60 million ransom per victim only to increase their asking fee to N100 million, totaling N700 million on the remaining seven abductees.

The public sympathy generated by the fate of the remaining victims had prompted family and well-wishers to go on the social media by opening a crowdfunding bank account to raise the funds for their release.

It would be recalled that former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Ali Pantami had on Sunday, following Naheeba’s death, said  his friend had brought N50 million to aid the release of the girls, as the ransom deadline of Tuesday, January 16, approached.

 Meanwhile, it was gathered Monday that residents of Sagwari Layout are now planning to stage a protest on Tuesday against the perceived inaction of the government and security agencies in rescuing their people.

Initially, they planned to protest on Monday but had to shift it as it coincided with the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.