Bandits have released seven teenagers they abducted from the Gidan-Bijimi community in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) after receiving a two-million-naira ransom payment.
Night Raid at a Burial Ceremony
The victims, a 15-year-old boy named David Awu and six teenage girls, were seized on Wednesday night around 9:30 pm. The armed attackers invaded Gidan-Bijimi, a community near Marke village, located along the sensitive border between the FCT and Kaduna State's Kagarko Local Government Area.
According to details, the teenagers, who are originally from Kuchaba village in Kagarko LGA, were in Gidan-Bijimi to attend a burial ceremony. The community was mourning 95-year-old Jummai Tanko when the gunmen struck. It was reported that the bandits missed their primary target, Mr. Thomas Waha Sarki, who is an uncle to the abducted youths, and took the teenagers instead.
Intense Negotiation and a Heavy Burden
Mr. Thomas Waha Sarki confirmed the release of the victims to the press on Monday, December 1. He stated that the seven individuals—Blessing Awu, Abigail Kasabare, Asabe Joshua, Kankani Joshua, Talatu Jaba, Agnes Kasabare, and David Awu—were let go on Saturday night.
The kidnappers had initially made a staggering demand of 300 million naira as ransom. After intense negotiations that spanned Friday and Saturday, the sum was drastically reduced to 2 million naira.
Sarki, who is a peasant farmer, revealed the painful sacrifice he made to secure the release of his relatives. "I had to sell some bags of ginger that I harvested and borrowed some money to raise the N2m before finally handing it to them through a negotiator," he explained. He described the payment as a severe financial burden for someone struggling to survive.
Long Trek to Freedom
The ransom was delivered in the Kuyeri forest within Kagarko LGA, where the victims were subsequently released. After their ordeal in captivity, the teenagers faced a grueling journey home, trekking for several hours before they finally reached safety.
Despite the financial and emotional toll, Sarki expressed profound gratitude that all seven young victims were released without physical harm. This incident highlights the persistent security challenges in communities along the FCT borders, where residents remain vulnerable to attacks and kidnapping for ransom.
