…N2m ransom, others collected. 

by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

An abducted housewife, Mrs Shamsiya Mustapha, has delivered a baby boy in a bandits’ camp in Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State. 

The woman, her husband and her 16-year-old daughter, Mahapuza Mustapha, were reportedly abducted from their residence in Janjala community in Kagarko LGA, on February 5th, 2023.

The bandits later freed the husband, Mustapha, after collecting N2 million ransom, including a brand new motorcycle and foodstuffs, but held on to his pregnant wife and the daughter, demanding another N2m ransom before setting them free.

Confirming the incident on Tuesday, a relation of the victim, Yakubu Dati, said the woman delivered the baby on Sunday, adding that the bandits killed the baby and freed the woman, who was still bleeding.

He said the bandits were still holding onto the daughter, demanding N1.5 million for her freedom.

He explained that, “The woman was over seven months pregnant when she was abducted. On Sunday, the bandits’ leader called the family that they should come and pick the woman as she had delivered.”

Dati said when the family tried to find out about her condition and her newborn baby, the bandits’ leader said they have killed the baby and buried it.

He further said, “So, all the family did was to go and pick up the woman at a location they dropped her. She is on treatment in a private hospital in Kagarko Town.”

The Madaki of Janjala, Samaila Babangida, who also confirmed the development through telephone to journalists that, “We are under siege here in Janjala due to the activities of bandits who sometimes come to houses in broad daylight and whisk away people.”

The spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Muhammed Jalige, could not respond over the development at the time of filing this report, when contacted.