Nation
Bandits Demand N300m To Free Abducted Kaduna Judge, Kill Son
Suspected bandits, who kidnapped a female judge and her four children in Kaduna State, have demanded for N300m, after killing her eldest son.
The judge and her sons were reportedly abducted at their residence in the Mahuta area of Kaduna on 23 June.
The kidnappers, numbering up to 15, stormed the residence of the judge at night when her husband, Dr. Musa Gimba Dutse, a medical doctor, was away on duty.
However, a human rights lawyer, and Chief Executive Officer of the House of Justice, Gloria Ballason, on Wednesday, confirmed in a statement that the kidnappers have threatened to kill her remaining sons if the ransom was not paid in time.
Ballason said the abductors killed the 14-year-old son of the judge in captivity when the family couldn’t pay the demanded ransom.
According to her, the boy, identified as Victor Gimba, the first son of the judge, was shot dead on July 2.
“The abductors, reported to have been about 15, took their captives hostage and demanded a huge sum as ransom.
“On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the terrorists shot dead Victor Gimba, the first child of the judge, when the ransom demanded could not be obtained,” she said.
She also called for the protection of the judge and her family, urging the government, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and security agencies to take urgent action and ensure the judge and her children are rescued.
Similarly, the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association has issued a statement condemning the incident, while urging the security agencies to rise to the occasion.
NMA’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Shuaibu Joga, expressed shock that the first son was killed to force payment of the said sum.
He said the NMA would be calling for an emergency SEC meeting on Thursday and a press conference to further call on the authorities to expedite action on securing their immediate release and also for the release of their other doctors kidnapped six months ago.
“Following the incident, we visited the husband and interacted with him and he informed us that the kidnappers had made a demand of N300 million to secure their release.
“While the security agencies had been informed and negotiations with the kidnappers were ongoing, we received the shocking news today that the first son was killed to force payment of the said sum.
“In response, we are calling for an emergency SEC meeting today and a press conference to further call on the authorities to expedite action on securing their immediate release and also the release of our other doctor kidnapped 6 months ago.
“We call for calm from members and request all to stay safe while we engage the necessary security organs to end this needless wanton evil,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the state government or the state police command.
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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