Bandits Demand N50m Ransom To Release Abductees

Bandit group responsible for the abduction of people in Batatti in Lavun local government area of Niger state have demanded N50million ransom to secure their release.

This is coming after the Chairman of Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Etsu Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar, called for an emergency meeting of districts and village heads following the abduction of five persons from Batatti.

It was gathered that the bandits requested N50 million as ransom after carting away valuables including laptops and handsets.

Recall that bandits numbering about ten attacked Batatti on Friday and abducted five people and injured several others.

An eyewitness who spoke on the incident noted that the bandits operated in the shop of one Kolade Olushoshola at Batatti and other shops along Bida-Mokwa High Way.

The bandits injured one Zacharia, who was at the shop to purchase a recharge card when the bandits struck.

A source disclosed that the bandits that invaded Batatti in a white Hillux vehicle around 8 pm performed congregational ‘Ishai’ prayers with the members of the community before shooting into the air.

“After several hours of wreaking havoc on Batatti, they left the area through Gbangbagi community to the forest of Fazhi and Kutigi the headquarters of Lavun Local Government Area,” the witness said.

Meanwhile, bandits on Sunday abducted about two hundred Islamiyya (Arabic) school students in Tegina, Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

However, the bandits have released 11 of the students, those released are small children between the ages of four to five years who are unable to walk very well.