Insecurity: Kidnappers now demand rice, noodles, maggi as ransom in Abuja
Apart from large amounts of money paid as ransom by the families of those kidnapped, the hoodlums are now demanding bags of rice and condiments as part of the ransom.
Armed kidnappers have targeted rural communities in the Kuje, Kwali, Gwagwalada, and Abaji area councils, abducting over 30 people in the last three months and collecting ransoms worth millions of naira.
However, during the kidnapping of some residents of the Kiyi and Anguwar Hausawa communities in the Kuje and Abaji area councils, the kidnappers instructed the hostages’ families to carry bags of rice, pasta, spaghetti, and cartons of seasoning cubes in addition to the ransom.
According to the findings of the Aso Chronicle, family members of the eight people kidnapped in Kiyi, along with a pastor from the RCCG, had to buy food and condiments for the kidnappers.
A relative of a kidnap victim in Kiyi village, simply identified as Joshua, said he was forced to purchase two bags of rice, one carton of Maggi seasoning cubes and a carton of Indomie noodles which were taken along with N1.5 million to the kidnappers before the victim was released.
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“Other family members did the same thing before their kidnapped relatives were released,” he said He added: “If you fail to buy those things and take only the cash to them, they will collect it and still hold the victim until you get the foodstuff for them.”
Mr. Isaac Jonathan, a relative of a kidnapped survivor, told our reporter that before regaining his freedom, he was forced to buy two bags of rice, seasoning cubes, cartons of spaghetti, a roll of cigarettes, and some wines for his cousin’s kidnappers in Shenegu village, Gwagwalada Area Council.
The spokesperson of the FCT police command, ASP Maryam Yusuf, was yet to pick calls or reply to text messages on her phone up till press time.
