Plateau: Kidnappers give families of 28 abducted travellers 1-day ultimatum to pay ransom

Abductors of 28 travellers in Plateau State have reportedly given the families of their victims a 24-hour ultimatum to pay a ransom of N1.5 million for each person or risk their loved ones being killed.

The victims, made up of men, women and children, were kidnapped by gunmen on Sunday, December 21, at the Zak community in the Bashar district of Wase Local Government Area.

They were said to be travelling to attend a Maulud Nabbiy event when they were attacked.

Family members of the captives said the abductors later contacted them and demanded the payment for each of the kidnapped persons before they would be released.

The family member, who earlier raised the alarm, said they had pleaded with them that they were poor farmers and could not raise such an amount, but that the gunmen had insisted on their demands.

However, one week after the kidnapping, the gang insisted that the ransom money must be paid within 24 hours or the captives would be executed.

Another relative of a victim, Ibrahim Musa, who spoke on the new condition, said the kidnappers’ anger came after the Chairman of Wase LGA, Muhammed Hamisu, mandated security agencies to do everything possible to rescue the abductees.

In response to the order, the state police spokesman, DSP Alfred Alabo, said a combined team of soldiers and police has been mobilised to the area,. At the same time, helicopters have been deployed to search for the victims, rescue them, and arrest those responsible.

Musa said the deployment of the security team and helicopters must have angered the kidnappers, who have now vowed to kill the victims if the ransom is not paid within 24 hours.

“After the kidnappers stopped calling for a few days, they called again on Sunday and said they had seen helicopters flying in the bush and searching for the victims,” Musa told newsmen.

“They told us they will kill our relatives if the ransom is not paid within 24 hours. At the moment, we don’t know what to do.

“We are pleading with the government to come to our aid as we are poor people and cannot possibly raise such an amount within the period they have given us,” Musa pleaded.

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