In a shocking turn of events, kidnappers in Nigeria have brutally murdered 35 hostages despite ransom payments, escalating concerns about the country's growing kidnapping crisis.
Nigeria's Kidnapping Crisis: Bandits Kill 35 Despite Ransom Payment
Nigeria's Kidnapping Crisis: Bandits Kill 35 Despite Ransom Payment
Tragic series of killings unveils the grim reality of Nigeria's kidnapping epidemic
Kidnappers in northern Nigeria have ruthlessly executed at least 35 hostages taken from Banga village in Zamfara state, even after ransoms were reportedly paid for their release, a local administrative leader disclosed in a report to the BBC. The criminal groups, infamously labeled as “bandits,” have increasingly resorted to kidnappings for financial gain in recent years.
In this harrowing incident, 56 residents were abducted from the village in March, with the kidnappers demanding a ransom of one million naira (approximately $655 or £485) for each hostage. According to Manniru Haidara Kaura, the local government chairman, a significant number of the deceased were young individuals described as having been "slaughtered like rams."
Haidara recounted how the kidnappers initially negotiated the ransom payment and eventually released 18 hostages — 17 women and a young boy — last Saturday. "The gunmen alone understand their motives for the killings. They are cold-hearted individuals, and they must realize that they are taking the lives of their own people," he lamented.
Out of the 18 released, 16 individuals are currently hospitalized, receiving care for various injuries. The bodies of the deceased 38 victims are unlikely to be recovered, as kidnappers rarely return the remains of those they kill.
In response to the alarming rise in kidnappings, Nigerian authorities enacted a law in 2022 criminalizing ransom payments, carrying a prison sentence of at least 15 years. However, to date, no arrests have been made under this legislation. The law also imposes the death penalty for kidnappers in cases where their victims die.
Yet, families often feel they have no choice but to pay the ransom, highlighting the government's failure to provide adequate security for its citizens.
In this harrowing incident, 56 residents were abducted from the village in March, with the kidnappers demanding a ransom of one million naira (approximately $655 or £485) for each hostage. According to Manniru Haidara Kaura, the local government chairman, a significant number of the deceased were young individuals described as having been "slaughtered like rams."
Haidara recounted how the kidnappers initially negotiated the ransom payment and eventually released 18 hostages — 17 women and a young boy — last Saturday. "The gunmen alone understand their motives for the killings. They are cold-hearted individuals, and they must realize that they are taking the lives of their own people," he lamented.
Out of the 18 released, 16 individuals are currently hospitalized, receiving care for various injuries. The bodies of the deceased 38 victims are unlikely to be recovered, as kidnappers rarely return the remains of those they kill.
In response to the alarming rise in kidnappings, Nigerian authorities enacted a law in 2022 criminalizing ransom payments, carrying a prison sentence of at least 15 years. However, to date, no arrests have been made under this legislation. The law also imposes the death penalty for kidnappers in cases where their victims die.
Yet, families often feel they have no choice but to pay the ransom, highlighting the government's failure to provide adequate security for its citizens.
