Family agonizes over N10m ransom as bandits abduct newly-married ABU student

Family members of a 28-year-old student of Ahmadu Bello University kidnapped by bandits on Kaduna-Abuja highway are in a dilemma as her kidnappers insist on taking N10 million as ransom, reports Kunle Akinrinade.

It was like a scene from the movies on Saturday, March 5, 2022, when sporadic gunshots from men in military camouflage halted an 18-passenger bus at Jere section of the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

There was confusion as fearful passengers rushed out of the bus and ran in different directions for their lives with gunshots renting the air. It turned out that the uniformed men were not security forces but bandits disguising as soldiers to intercept travelers and carry out abductions.

The arrival of a detachment of soldiers on routine patrol restored the confidence of the fleeing passengers to come out of hiding and continue their journey to Lagos.

But by the time normalcy was restored by the minions of the law, two of the passengers conveyed by the bus had been seized by the gun-wielding hoodlums and dragged into the bush.

According to one of the passengers of the bus who narrowly escaped being kidnapped, two of the occupants of the bus fled into the waiting hands of the hoodlums who were in the nearby bush.

“We panicked when the guns continued to boom ceaselessly and we all fled in different directions. By the time soldiers arrived at the scene to drive the bandits away, a man and one Miss Halimat Oguntoyinbo, a student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, had been seized by the bandits who ran with them into the nearby forest,” said one of the escapees who identified herself simply as Aaliyah.

“I don’t know the name of the other person abducted by the bandits, but Halimat and I were seated on the seat behind the driver and we had launched into a friendly conversation as we journeyed on until the hoodlums attacked our bus. She told me that she stays in Lagos and that she came to the university to submit her final year project.”

Our correspondent gathered that Halimat was looking forward to completing her post-graduate program at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna State when she visited the university to consummate her final year project.

She had earlier earned her first degree in Geology in the same university just before her family relocated to Ogun State, following the retirement of her father who passed away last year. She was yet to adjust to life in Lagos where she resides with her husband after she got married in November last year.

“She was in the school to secure a nod for Masters in Geology, and upon finishing with the presentation of her completed work for scrutiny by faculty supervisors, she set out to return to her base in Lagos on Saturday, March 5, 2022, hoping that the stress she had gone through in putting the project together would pay off by the time her project would be approved and she would graduate from the school,” said a source who asked not to be named.

“She had boarded an 18-passenger Toyota bus at Mando Park en route Lagos, not knowing the fate that laid in wait for her and other passengers on the bus on the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway.

“The bus was suddenly flagged down by some men in military camouflage, who shot sporadically after halting the bus. It turned out that the men were bandits who disguised as soldiers to terrorize commuters and motorists in the axis.

“We learned that Halimat and other passengers rushed out of the bus and fled in different directions. However, others came out of hiding when some soldiers arrived at the scene and returned to the bus to continue their journey but 27-year-old Halimat did not return. It turned out that she had run into the waiting hands of the bandits who had laid an ambush in the direction she fled inside the bush nearby.

The Kaduna-Abuja highway has gained notoriety for banditry with many travelers abducted or killed by hoodlums on the road.

It will be recalled that the police recently killed a notorious bandit terrorizing the Kaduna-Abuja highway on November 24, 2021. The hoodlum identified as Yellow Magaji was shot dead by the operatives in Kaduna.

According to the spokesman of Kaduna Police Command, ASP Muhammed Jalige, operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command in collaboration with the Federal Intelligence Bureau and Special Tactical Squad Force headquarters, Abuja, on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Mudassiru Abdullahi, acted on credible intelligence and raided a hospitality outfit, Sir Joe Guest Inn, located at No.8 Sajo Street, Unguwan Maigero Area of Sabon Tasha in Chikun LGA of Kaduna State, where suspected bandits were said to have lodged.

He said: “While the cautiously coordinated raid was ongoing, the suspected bandits on sensing danger took to their heels, shooting sporadically, leading to a gun duel with the operatives.

“One notorious bandit popularly called Yellow Magaji a.k.a Arushe was wounded in the shootout whereas his equally notorious partner, Yellow Ashana, and others escaped with bullet wounds.

“He was thereafter taken to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital for possible resuscitation in a bid to obtain useful information but was confirmed dead on arrival by a medical doctor.”

While Halimat who got married on November 27, 2021, underwent torture in the hands of the hoodlums, her family members were oblivious of the condition fate has thrown her into until the driver of the bus got in touch with her family after checking the bus manifest where the phone contact of her next of kin was written and broke the news of Halimat’s abduction to her family.

A family friend who craved anonymity said: “On Saturday, March 5, the driver of the 18 passenger bus she was traveling in called her mother, saying that Halimat had been kidnapped by bandits.

“They were attacked at Jere, a village along the Kaduna-Abuja highway. The driver said that other passengers returned to the bus after some soldiers came to their rescue. Two of the passenger including Halimat did not return.

“The bandits wore military camouflage and shot sporadically when they attacked the bus. The driver of the bus later asked Halimat’s husband to come to a motor park in Ogere, Ogun State to identify her luggage and take them.

“On Wednesday, March 9, the bandits got in touch with her family on the telephone and demanded that a ransom of N100 million be paid to secure her freedom.

“The hoodlums briefly gave the phone to Halimat to enable her to speak with her mother and also urge one of her sisters to convince her mother to cooperate with them by paying the ransom.

“The family pleaded for a reduction in the amount but the hoodlums declined, threatening to severely deal with Halimat if the money was not paid. We later learned that the sum had been reduced to N10 million, which the family still cannot afford.

“The victim’s father died last year and the family has just relocated to Ogun State from Kaduna while the husband does not have that kind of money to get her out of the dungeon of the bandits.”

She added: “Halimat’s mother is hypertensive and the plight of her daughter has worsened her health condition so far. For now, we are only praying that those who kidnapped her would see a reason to reduce the ransom to what the family said they can afford.”

Speaking with our correspondent, Halimat’s sister, Tawakalit Oguntoyinbo, said the family was in a dilemma as they feared for her safety while the amount demanded by the kidnappers has not been secured due to paucity of funds.

“We are worried by the unfortunate development. We lost our father just last year and our mother is still managing her health condition.

“My sister’s husband too doesn’t have the kind of money the kidnappers are demanding and we fear for Halimat’s life as she is still being held by her abductors, who have insisted on nothing but the N10 million ransom.

She added: “When we were allowed to speak to Halimat on the phone, she told us to sell whatever we have to bail her out (of captivity). She (Halimat) said she was in pains.”

Credit: The Nation