…As bandits demand N500m.
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, have long commenced individual contributions of money towards a N500 million ransom demanded by bandits that abducted their colleague, Mal. Umar Uaman Iyale, a retired photojournalist from AIT and NTA.
Armed bandits had reportedly demanded for a N500 million ransoms as condition before releasing their abducted colleague veteran photojournalist, Mal. Umar Iyale, who was kidnapped along with others in Kaduna State.
The victim was kidnapped from his residence along with several others in a community, popularly known as Danhonu II in Millennium City, Chikun LGA of Kaduna State, last week.
The victim, Umar Iyale, reportedly spoke to leader of the NUJ in a long conversation via his phone from bandits’ captivity, appealing for whatever members could raise together with his family to meet the N500 million random demanded by the terror group.
According to the Union source, one of the abductees in bandits’ captivity has already been killed for inability to makeup the total amount of ransom demanded from family after he had already paid N30 million, stirring up fears of security of Iyale.
Umar Iyale, who spoke to the Union leader on phone, reportedly said “This people (the bandits) say we should bring N500 millions as ransom. Anything you people can contribute to help, me I will be grateful.”
Meanwhile, inhabitants of Millennium community located within the radius where two journalists and their families were abducted previously but were later released, have expressed fears of safety and security of their lives, appealing to the state government to intervene.
Both journalists and the family of the abducted photojournalists were running around to contribute money to settle the amount of ransom demanded by the bandits up till the time of filing this report in Kaduna.
Mal. Umar, who is a retired staff of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Kaduna Station, and formerly of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Kaduna, was allegedly abducted from his residence at about 9:00 p.m. last Monday, according to community sources.
Residents said the gunmen carried out the operation quietly but in a coordinated manner, gaining access to the compound at a time when some members of the journalist’s family had yet to return home.
A community source said the attackers demanded money from the victim and, when he could not provide any, forcefully whisked him away to an unknown destination.
The abduction has heightened anxiety in Danhonu II, with residents expressing concern over the safety of Malam Umar, who was described as elderly and battling health challenges.
The source further said efforts are on top gear to get him rescued from the kidnappers den, as members used this medium to appealed for financial support from spirited individuals and organizations towards his safe and urgent release.