Five kidnapped victims regain freedom after paying N1.7m ransom in Niger

Five victims of last Thursday’s abduction in Niger State regained their freedom on Sunday after the payment of N1.7million ransom on their behalf by their relations and friends.

Recall that gunmen suspected to be armed bandits abducted them in Avu near Gupa – Abugi Community in Lapai Local Government Area of the state at about 1:00 am last Thursday while one person was killed.

One of the victims informed the Nigerian Tribune at the weekend that the victims were accompanied by the kidnappers very close to their houses in the village and were set free at around 1:00 am, saying that they were taken across river Gurara, into Kogi State before they negotiated with their families.

The source who would not want to be quoted in the print added that the hoodlums further gave them some unspecified sums of money to enable them to buy pairs of bathroom slippers for themselves as they were released to join their relations.

He, however, lamented that they were kept in a cave throughout their abduction after walking for several hours throughout that night of the incident and guarded them strictly while in the captivity.

Narrating his ordeal, a member of the village, Idris Musa Avu, said: “The gunmen arrived the village around 1:00 am, in large numbers and upon seeing them, people scampered for safety as the hoodlums shoot sporadically, one person was killed and six others were kidnapped.”

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