Kidnappers kill victim held for two weeks in Kaduna after collecting ransom

By GARBA MUHAMMAD, Kaduna

Kidnappers have killed the abducted Rigasa youth Sani Khalil whom they took away after attacking him and some other travellers along the Airport – Train Station on November 20, 2020 in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The kidnappers had demanded for N10 million ransom which the family said they could not pay, but rallied round to raise N1.5 million.

Family sources said on Saturday that the kidnappers asked them to meet them in Zaria where other family members of victims from Zaria and Yobe converged. The kidnappers then directed them to Galadimawa where they collected the ransom. They then directed them to the victims.

The victims were said to be at a river where they tried washing up after their release, when from nowhere four of the kidnappers appeared with guns and demanded for Sani Khalil.

On identifying him, they shot him dead and told others to tell his family that they killed him for wasting time in paying the ransom.

Other victims’ families from Zaria and Yobe State were said to have fled the place as they were refused to even carry his remains and the place is difficult to access.

At the time of this report, Khalil’s family and friends were still struggling to find ways to the place and how to convey his remains back to Kaduna for burial.

Khalil, along Rabiu Auwal and Umar Elkhaddab fell victims of the kidnappers between Kaduna Airport and Rigasa Railway Station road when the gunmen attacked motorists after the time the last train from Abuja to Kaduna should have arrived.

Awwal and Elkhaddab escaped with gunshot wounds and were rushed to 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital where Auwal later died, succumbing to the gunshot wounds, while Elkhaddab survived and is still recuperating from the gunshot wounds.

Khalil was however not lucky and was abducted after being shot.

Rigasa community with over a million population has been victim of kidnapping for ransom and killings, leading to citizens protesting to the State House of Assembly few months back.

The Kaduna – Abuja highway has witnessed many kidnappings for ransom and killings, leading to increase traffic at the train station as many travellers abandon the road for the fear being kidnapped or killed.