Bandits have freed a 15-year-old boy and six girls abducted in the Gidan-Bijimi community in Kawu Ward of Bwari Area Council after collecting N2 million ransom from the victims’ relatives.

Our correspondent had reported that bandits wielding sophisticated weapons invaded Gidan-Bijimi last Wednesday around 9:30 p.m., near neighbouring Marke village on the FCT–Kaduna border.

The victims, natives of Kuchaba village in Kagarko LGA of Kaduna State, had come to attend the burial of a 95-year-old woman, Jummai Tanko, when the bandits whisked them away after missing their primary target, Mr. Thomas Waha Sarki.

Confirming their release via telephone on Monday, Mr. Thomas Waha Sarki listed the freed victims as Blessing Awu, Abigail Kasabare, Asabe Joshua, Kankani Joshua, Talatu Jaba, Agnes Kasabare and a 15-year-old boy, David Awu. They were all released on Saturday night.

He said the bandits had initially demanded N300 million, but after intensive negotiations from Friday to Saturday, reduced the ransom to N2 million.

The victims were released at Kuyeri Forest in Kagarko LGA, where the ransom was delivered, after which they trekked for hours back home.

“And even the N2 million we finally agreed on — I had to sell some bags of ginger I harvested and still borrow more money to complete it, and handed it over to them through the negotiator,” he said.

Sarki lamented the hardship of being forced to raise such a huge amount as a peasant farmer but thanked God that the victims returned unhurt.

“It is painful for a local farmer who struggles to survive to cough out N2 million to criminals, but I still give glory to God that the abducted victims regained their freedom unhurt,” he said.

The FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Adeh Josephine, did not respond to calls as at the time of filing this report.