Bandits have contacted families of 16 Goni Gora area residents in Kaduna State and are demanding for the sum of N40 trillion and 150 bikes ransom.
A community leader from the area John Yusuf disclosed that the bandits contacted families of abductees and said, 11 Hilux Vans are also been demanded before the victims would be released.
As the ransom demand is probably is biggest in the history of Nigeria, John lamented that Goni Gora has been the target of bandits for quite some time and they would always come around to kidnap residents without any challenge, adding they came twice within a week.
“The bandits have contacted us. They are demanding N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles for the release of 16 people they are holding captive,” Yusuf told some journalists.
“Where are we going to get this kind of money? Even if we sell the entire community, we cannot raise N40 trillion. Even Nigeria as a country has never made a budget of N40 trillion.
Giving account of how bandits came to Goni Gora two weeks ago, John added: “The abductions happened twice within four days interval. During the first attack, three people were kidnapped while in the second attack, 13 people were abducted bringing the total number of people being held captive to 16.”
John hinted that bandits are in hideout in forests around communities in Birnin Gwari from where they have been operating, saying that establishment of military base in Birnin Gwari would solve the problem of abduction that has tarried for quite some time now.
“We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community,” Yusuf said.
“From our community down to Birnin Gwari which is over 150 kilometres is a stretch of bush. We also have another stretch of bushes from Gonin Gora down to Niger state.
“So when the criminals have free access through the bushes to our community. We are pleading with the government to help us.
“The army are really trying, despite the fact that they are seriously overstretched. Whenever we make distressed calls they come.
“But the problem is that before they reach the community, the bandits would have done what they wanted and left.”
Meanwhile, on Thursday last week, about 287 school children including some teachers were abducted from Government Secondary School and LEA Primary School Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Council of Kaduna State.
