•Kill victim after collecting N3m

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

A N10 million ransom is being demanded for the release of the remains of one Obadiah Ibrahim, who was kidnapped in early October in Sabon Gaya, on his way back from Abuja to Kaduna.

A family member of the victim, Kefas Obadiah, said the bandits had earlier collected N3 million as ransom.

He said his brother died on Monday, but it was on Thursday that his death was announced to the family.

“The bandits refused to release my brother while he was kidnapped, even after they collected N3 million as ransom. My brother’s name is Obadiah Ibrahim. He was kidnapped in early October in Sabon Gaya, on his way back from Abuja to Kaduna.”

“Although I wasn’t the one communicating with the bandits. There was a negotiator. Earlier the bandits demanded N200 million and later settled for N3 million plus. They said we should bring the money. After giving them the ransom they told us the money was for their foodstuffs which had finished, and that we should bring N15 million.

“They later came down to N5 million and 3 motorbikes and later collected one bike. After collecting a bike we didn’t hear from them again. We tried to communicate with them but unfortunately, we were unable.

“Then, on Thursday, when the negotiator called them, they said our brother is dead. We thought they were joking. When we continued, they threatened to track the caller  and come for him if he did not stop calling their line.

“They said their men were arrested by police, tied to a tree and killed. So they vented their anger too on our brother because of what the police did to their brother.

“Ibrahim had died on Monday and they informed us on Thursday. We asked for his corpse and they said we should pay them N10m if we want his corpse they’ll not work for us free of charge. They swore that if we bring the money they’ll release the corpse in three days,” he said.