Bandits Kill Ransom Negotiator in Kaduna After Delivering N16 Million, Resident Reports
A tragic event has occurred in Jere town, Kaduna State, where a 27-year-old man named Abba was shot and killed by bandits after delivering a ransom of N16 million and three motorcycles for the release of nine kidnapped individuals.
Security analyst and counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama shared the details on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday. According to Makama, the kidnapping took place on April 16, 2024, when bandits attacked homes in Unguwar Iya, Jere, taking nine residents hostage and initially demanding a ransom of N30 million.
Local resident Shuaibu Hussaini confirmed the incident in a telephone interview on Wednesday. Hussaini explained that the tragedy occurred last Saturday when Abba, who had been negotiating with the bandits, delivered the agreed-upon ransom to the group’s leader at a specified location. “After receiving the ransom and the motorcycles, the bandits’ leader tied Abba with a rope and shot him,” Hussaini reported.
The motive for the killing was disclosed by one of the released victims. Hussaini stated, “A released victim revealed that the bandits’ leader decided to kill Abba because he found him rude during the ransom negotiations.”
The cruelty of the act was highlighted when the bandits informed Abba’s family about his death. “When a family member inquired about Abba’s whereabouts after the ransom delivery, the bandits’ leader directed them to a location where they found his body,” Hussaini added.
The incident has plunged the entire community into mourning. “Hussaini said the death of Abba has not only devastated his family but has also cast a pall over the entire Jere chiefdom,” the report noted.
The Kaduna State Police Command has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident.
