The dramatic story of the kidnapped Al-Kadriyar sisters in Abuja has taken a new turn, with their family stating that they, not the police, secured their release.
Contrary to official reports claiming a police rescue, Sheriff Al-Kadriyar, an uncle of the girls, told BBC Yoruba that a ransom was paid and the kidnappers dropped the girls in a forest for pick-up.
This revelation contradicts the Nigerian police statement on Sunday, which proudly declared they had “successfully rescued the victims.”
Sheriff Al-Kadriyar clarified that the family paid a hefty ransom – the amount undisclosed for security reasons – and retrieved the girls themselves after receiving their location from the kidnappers.
The sisters’ uncle’s account aligns with testimonies of other relatives to the Daily Trust, further casting doubt on the police narrative.
The case, which shocked Nigeria and sparked a crowdfunding campaign, involved five sisters and their cousin being abducted from their Abuja home on January 2nd. Tragically, Nabeeha, a 21-year-old final-year university student, was killed by the kidnappers as a ransom pressure tactic.
Despite the defense minister urging against paying the ransom, the devastated family felt they had no choice. After negotiations, the money was delivered, and the girls were finally released on Saturday.
In contrast to the official police story, Sheriff Al-Kadriyar explained that a group of male relatives located the girls in the Kajuru Forest, Kaduna State, with assistance from an army unit encountered en route. The army subsequently escorted the family and girls back to Abuja.
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