In a disturbing turn of events, kidnappers who abducted 10 individuals from an estate in Sagwari Layout, Dutse, Abuja, on January 7, have reportedly killed three of their captives. The ruthless act was purportedly carried out as a stern warning to the victims’ relatives involved in negotiating the ransom for their release.
Initially demanding N60 million per person, the abductors have now escalated their ransom demand to N100 million per victim, bringing the total to a staggering N700 million. The victims were allegedly targeted for execution due to delays in meeting the kidnappers’ ransom demands.
Among those tragically killed is reported to be a 13-year-old high school student named Folorunsho Ariyo. This distressing incident follows recent reports of the kidnappers operating in Bwari villages, where they killed one of the six abducted persons to pressure the family into expeditiously meeting their ransom requirements.
Dutse, situated under the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has become a focal point of criminal activities, prompting residents of Sagwari Layout to express their frustration with the perceived inaction of the government and security agencies.
In response to the escalating crisis, residents have organized plans to stage a massive protest against the lack of intervention by authorities. Originally scheduled for Monday, the protest has been rescheduled to Tuesday, considering the Armed Forces Remembrance Day. The community hopes that the protest will draw attention to the urgent need for decisive action to rescue the abducted individuals and address the rising security concerns in the region.
