The dramatic story of the kidnapped Al-Kadriyar sisters in Abuja has taken a new turn, with their family stating that they paid a huge ransom to secure their release.
The family refuted the claims by not the police that they were responsible for the victims’ freedom. secured their release.
In a reaction to the official reports of police rescue, Sheriff Al-Kadriyar, an uncle of the girls, told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Yoruba that a ransom was paid and that the kidnappers dropped the girls in a forest for them to pick up.
His revelation contradicts the police statement on Sunday, where they proudly declared that 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 media, 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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