Bandits abduct ransom bearer in Niger State

26 Jul Bandits abduct ransom bearer in Niger State

Bandits, who abducted 138 pupils of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, in May in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, have seized a man sent to deliver N30 million as another installment of the ransom they demanded from the parents.

The parents had earlier sent an initial instalment of N25 million ransom, the head of the abducted students’ school, Abubakar Alhassan, told BBC Hausa Service Sunday morning.

The abducted man, Kasimu Barangana, was one of seven persons sent by the community to deliver the N30 million ransom to the bandits in the forest.

Instead, the bandits seized Barangana himself alleging a shortfall of N4.6 million when they counted the money.

Alhassan said some parents sold off their landed properties and his school sold off a portion of its land to raise the N30 million. They then sent Mr Barangana and six other men to deliver the money in the forest.

According to Alhassan, after the ransom was delivered, the bandits took Mr Barangana to another location to count the money. Later, however, they called to inform the community of the shortfall of N4.6 million and that they were holding on to Barangana until the shortfall is delivered.