“Go and be praying”, police tell families of kidnap victims in Suleja

The Niger state police command have advised families of abducted persons in Rafin Sanyin community in Suleja, to intensify their prayers as the police was also doing its best to rescue the victims.

Kidnappers had invaded the community around 11:00 p.m. last Thursday and whisked away Uthman Mohammed, his family members and other persons from the community while beheading one other person.

Ahmad Uthman, brother to two of the victims, told reporters on Saturday that the bandits had contacted them with his kidnapped brother’s number, demanding N20 million ransom or they would kill them.

“They didn’t allow room for talking, they just said, ‘are you the brother to so and so? Go and get us N20 million, and they cut the call. The N20 million is for the two people from my house. They called the others (families) too. They were demanding different amounts from each family,” Mr Uthman revealed.

He further added that his brother, while being tortured by the bandits, pleaded with them to sell his house to enable them meet the demands of the kidnappers so they can be set free.

He said: “They called this evening (Saturday). We heard them beating my senior brother, speaking Hausa and torturing him, saying ‘you think we are joking? If you don’t have money, then you will see death.’ As he was being thoroughly beaten and tortured, he was saying ‘go and sell my house, give them the money they want.’ We are expecting their (bandits) call again tomorrow (Sunday).

The families of the abducted persons have, however, taken to the streets of Suleja in protest as they seek help in securing their loved ones’ safe release.

Mr Uthman disclosed that the police, when intimated of the development, asked them to “go and be praying.”

Speaking on Sunday, The state’s police spokesman, ASP Wasiu Abiodun while noting that “police don’t participate in the issue of ransom”, however assured that “we will continue to do what we can to see how we will rescue these people, as we are on their trail.”

Suleja is a satellite community located just 30 minutes from the nation’s capital Abuja.