Bandits seizes man delegated to take N5 million ransom to them at their own instruction in Niger

Abductors of 55 villagers of Zazaga community in Niger State on Sunday held back a man who took N5 million ransom to their camp in the forest.

The kidnappers are now demanding for payment of N1 million and motorcycles before releasing the man who brought them ransom and the the 30 people who’s ransom was paid.

Bandits have weeks ago abducted 55 persons from Zagzaga community and after much plea, they agreed to collect N5 million.

Zagzaga community is in Munya Local Government Council of Niger State.

The man who took N5 million ransom to bandits camp for the release of abductees was at the instruction of bandits, but was surprising detained, thereby raised fears, if bandits were actually ready to release abductees.

The village head of Zagzaga, Mallam Musa Umoru who confirmed the latest development, said, the bandits after collecting the N5 million ransom still asked the community to pay N1 million for the man who took the money to them.

“We struggled to borrow the money when help could not come from anywhere to raise the N5 million which they later agreed, but when we delegated someone to take the money to them, they decided to hold him back and asking us to pay N1 million and four motorcycles for his release.

“They also said that they will not release the other people again until we pay the N1 million before they can release all of them. We have borrowed enough and we don’t know who to meet for help again.

“Since this incident happened over a month now, nobody has come to the village here to even identify with us not to talk of helping us. We have sold everything we had labored for to be able to raise this money, and now they are asking for more again”, he lamented.