Bandits Threaten Abducted Niger Officials After N70m Ransom

Bandits who abducted a commissioner in the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) Barrister Ahmed Mohammad and chairman of the state ward development project in Borgu local government area, Alhaji Alhassan Bawa Niworo, have threatened to kill them even after collecting N70 million ransom.

The two government officials were abducted along IBBI to New Bussa Road in Borgu local government area of the state on September 29 last year along with 40 other passengers.

The families said they had paid N40 million for Barrister Ahmed and N30 million for Niworo, a former chairman of the Niger State Basic Education Board, but the abductors, suspected to be bandits transiting to Zamfara State, have refused to release them and have rather threatened the families to pay N150 million on each or they would kill them.

Speaking on behalf of the family of the NSIEC commissioner,   Malam   Ayuba  Abubakar told LEADERSHIP  Sunday that they were able to pay   N40 million after selling some of the family’s properties.

He said, “After collecting N40 million from us, the next thing it was the body of the dead driver who was abducted with barrister (the commissioner) that was released to us, the driver died in their custody. “We are afraid the same fate may befall the commissioner if urgent steps are not taken, we are more afraid now that the last time they spoke to us was a month ago, they threatened to kill him if we do not bring more money and since then we have not spoken to them.”

Also speaking on behalf of the Niworo family, his younger sister, Hajiya Kulu Mohammed Niworo, said the bandits called about a month ago to threaten them for more money.

She said, “We took loans, family members contributed and sold our family property to raise the N30 million we gave them, even at that, they refused to release him.

“The last we spoke to them they threatened to kill him if we do not bring N150 million  and since then we have not heard from them, we are appealing to people in positions of authority to help us rescue him alive.”