In a shocking revelation, family members of the Al-Kadriyar girls have disclosed that they paid a ransom to bandits for the release of five out of six girls who were among the 23 individuals kidnapped on January 2, 2023, in the Bwari area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
While four individuals lost their lives during the abduction, the remaining 19 were freed on Saturday night. Contrary to official reports from the FCT Police and Nigerian Army claiming a successful joint rescue operation, uncles of the Al-Kadriyar girls, Abbas and Sherifdeen Al-Kadriyar, assert that they personally paid the ransom for the release.
Abbas Al-Kadriyar, who retrieved the girls from the thick Gurara Dam area, stated, “We paid a ransom for the release of our girls. A ransom was paid, and the police were not involved… The children were not rescued by anyone; the soldiers only assisted me in locating where they were and provided cover for us.”
Corroborating the account, Sheriffdeen Al-Kadriyar added, “My elder brother was the one who went to pick up the girls on Saturday, days after we’ve paid the ransom. But the soldiers escorted them back home.”
The FCT Police Command had earlier asserted that the Al-Kadriyar sisters and other victims were rescued from the bandits’ den in Kajuru forest, Kaduna State, by a joint team of police and army personnel. The police confirmed the victims’ release on Sunday and emphasized the role of the FCT anti-kidnapping squad in collaboration with the Nigerian Army.
Earlier reports had revealed that the bandits terrorizing the FCT and neighboring states were camped in the Kajuru forest in the Southern Kaduna area, previously used by the military for training. Security sources noted that the forest had been abandoned, making it a haven for criminals.
In a statement on Sunday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said, “Following the relentless advancement of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command Anti-Kidnapping squad in a concerted effort with troops of the Nigerian Army… the FCT police has rescued the victims and reunited them with their families.”
Despite the conflicting narratives, the FCT Police Commissioner, Haruna Garba, expressed commitment to maintaining peace in the region. The public was encouraged to report suspicious activities through emergency hotlines provided by the police.
**Emergency Hotlines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, 08028940883.**
