Bandits who kidnapped students in the Gonin Gora area of Kaduna State have demanded an unprecedented ransom—N40 trillion, 150 motorcycles, and 11 Hilux vans—for the release of 16 abducted students.
This marks the first occurrence of such a substantial demand since ransom abductions began in Nigeria.
Following a prior attack on February 28 that resulted in two deaths and multiple abductions, residents protested on February 29, blocking the Kaduna-Abuja highway.
A Community leader, John Yusuf urged the government to establish a military base to counter bandit activities, even as he acknowledged the challenges faced by the overstretched military.
“The bandits have contacted us. They are demanding N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles for the release of 16 people they are holding captive,” he said.“Where are we going to get this kind of money? Even if we sell the entire community, we cannot raise N40 trillion. Even Nigeria as a country has never made a budget of N40 trillion.“The abductions happened twice within four days interval. During the first attack, three people were kidnapped while in the second attack, 13 people were abducted bringing the total number of people being held captive to 16.”He said the communities in Birnin Gwari are surrounded by bushes serving as hideouts for the bandits, adding that the establishment of a military base would tackle the criminal operations in the area.“We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community,” Yusuf said.“From our community down to Birnin Gwari which is over 150 kilometres is a stretch of bush. We also have another stretch of bushes from Gonin Gora down to Niger state.“So when the criminals have free access through the bushes to our community. We are pleading with the government to help us. The army are really trying, despite the fact that they are seriously overstretched. Whenever we make distressed calls they come.“But the problem is that before they reach the community, the bandits would have done what they wanted and left.”
He emphasized the urgent need for the federal government to address the escalating threat of banditry before it engulfs the community.
