…….One Dead, Seven still in Captivity
From John Adams, Minna
More kidnap victims from Adunu and Kwagana Communities in Paikoro local government area, and Beni community in Munya local government area of Niger state have regained freedom from their captors after 76 days in captivity.
This brings to 49, the number of the victims that have so far being released by the gunmen out of the 56 that were initially abducted.
A woman among the victims was said to have died of an illness three days before the release of the 14 victims after a number of motorcycles were taken to the gunmen as ransom.
A source close to the communities told our correspondent that seven members of the communities are still being held by the Bandits who have requested for more motorcycles as ransom, saying that security agents have destroyed their motorcycles.
It could be recalled that the Bandits in their numbers stormed Adunu, Beni and Kwagana Communities on March 14, killing two people and abducted no fewer than 56 people including women and children in an operation the communities said lasted over five hours.
Two weeks after, five of the Abductees were summarily executed by the Gunmen due to the failure of the communities to meet their demand, and threaten to kill the remaining victims if the N100million ransom they had earlier requested was not paid after one week.
The Bandits, it was gathered released three women to go and inform the communities of the execution of the five people, while holding their husband back among other captives.
The 14 victims, according to our source were handed over to a member of one of the communities who have continue to serve as intermediary between the gunmen after taken undisclosed number of motorcycles to them (Gunmen) at a location between Pandogari town and Brinin Gwari local government in Kaduna state on Monday.
It was gathered that the communities resulted to self-help to secure the release of their relations through individual contributions when the immediate past Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello failed to come to their rescue despite several appeals.
According to the communities, neither the Governor nor any government official visited any of the communities since the incident occurred on March 14, leaving the affected communities to their faith.
