Fulani herdsmen kidnapped a Corper and others - demand N15m ransom

Three women including a member of the National Youth Service Corps have been kidnapped by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The victims were said to be travelling in a bus belonging to God is Good Motors on Wednesday when they were robbed at gun point and thereafter marched into the bush. When contacted, Head of Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FCT Police Command), Yemi Ola, confirmed the kidnapping, saying his office had received a report on the case.

He said, “The report was made at Kwali Division from where it was transferred to us. We took a statement from the sister of one of the victims who was inside the vehicle.”

This Saturday, we learnt that the kidnappers have demanded N15m ransom from family members of the victims. While they demanded N5m from the family of the two sisters, the kidnappers asked for N10m from the father of Grace Oghene Edegware, a graduate of Accountancy from the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, who was deployed by the National Youth Service Corps to Lagos State.

The sister of one of the two victims, Mrs. Florence Chukwuyem, told our correspondent that she had been pleading with the kidnappers to reduce their ransom to N300, 000 as she does not have the N5m they demanded.

She said, “On Wednesday evening, my two sisters (elder and younger) boarded a bus belonging to “God is Good Motors” from Lagos to Abuja; on getting to Kwali, they ran into armed robbers who are all Fulani herdsmen and after a successful robbery operation, they told them to lie down on the expressway.

“The Fulani herdsmen picked and selected three ladies, including a corps member and marched them into the bush. For the past three days, they have been in the bush with the armed robbers.

“The kidnappers called me and demanded N5m ransom and threatened to kill my sisters if I don’t bring the money. That was my last discussion with them some few hours ago. I have been begging them that I have only N300, 000 and yet they refused,  saying that is no money.”

The father of the NYSC member, Francis Edegware, also pleaded that the ransom should be reduced.

He said, “The kidnappers are demanding for N10m but we are begging them to bring it down because I am a civil servant and I don’t have that kind of money. I only manage to eat. That is the situation, right now.”

Police Public Relations Officer, Federal Capital Territory Command, ASP Anjuguri Manzah, said he would get back to our correspondent for additional information on the incident.