Bandits Kill Abuja Resident after N20m Ransom, Threaten to Execute More Captives

Kingsley Nweze in Abuja

Bandits have killed one of the seven persons abducted from the Kuduru community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The bandits stormed the area and abducted the victims on December 28, 2023.

A community source said that the victim, Olayinka Ogunyemi, was killed after members of the families of the hostages failed to pay the N290 million demanded.

The source said the bandits called on Friday to break the news of the execution of Ogunyemi, a civil engineer.

“The bandits called us yesterday that they have killed Engineer Olayinka Ogunyemi.

“The bandits threatened to kill the remaining captives if N230 million is not made available as ransom. Those still in captivity include one-and-a-half-year-old boy, two siblings, a pregnant woman, and two men.

“N23 million has been paid, food sent and other items they demanded but none of our people has been released.

“We are appealing to the federal government, the police, and the army to step up efforts to rescue our people because their abductors said Nigeria has offended them and they would retaliate.”

When contacted, the spokesperson of the FCT police command, Adeh Josephine, simply said: “I am not aware of the incident.”