Kano businessman killed after ransom payment

Suspected kidnappers operating along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari axis have killed another Kano businessman, Umar Sani, after collecting ransom from his relatives.

The businessman, also called Magaji, was abducted two weeks ago alongside five others on the highway en route to Buruku but was later confirmed killed by his co-abductees despite collecting ransom for their release.

The deceased hailed from Fagge Local Government Area in Kano metropolis.

An elder brother of the deceased, Hussaini Sani, who confirmed the death to our correspondent on Friday, also said the kidnappers had called back on Thursday demanding another N20million from them despite killing the businessman.

“Nine of them were kidnapped along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road while on their way to Buruku. They later released three of them but withheld six. After some time, negotiation started with the families of the six people, and we later agreed to pay them collectively, only for us to see five of them coming back.

“When we asked them about the whereabouts of our brother, they confirmed to us that he was killed by the abductors. We called them (abductors) using the number they used for the negotiation and they insisted that our brother was still alive, and even went ahead to demand another ransom before they would release him.

“When we insisted that we must hear our brother’s voice before paying something again, they opened up to us that he was really killed, saying he was trying to escape. But his colleagues that were released said he was killed intentionally,” Hussain added.

Magaji is survived by his wife and four children, who presently reside in the Bichi Local Government Area of the state.

His death is coming barely 10 days after the family of another businessman’s corpse was discovered after payment of N6m ransom to his abductors in the same Birnin Gwari.   (Daily Trust)