Attempts to combat this escalating kidnapping trend included the introduction of a law in 2022 criminalizing ransom payments, punishable by a lengthy prison sentence. However, families remain compelled to pay ransoms due to the pervasive insecurity that leaves them with limited options. The rest of Nigeria's struggle with this kidnapping crisis continues, alongside the families coping with the devastating aftermath.
Nigeria's Abduction Horror: 35 Hostages Killed Despite Ransom Payment
Nigeria's Abduction Horror: 35 Hostages Killed Despite Ransom Payment
In a tragic incident highlighting the ongoing kidnapping crisis in Nigeria, criminals executed 35 hostages even after ransoms were paid.
A local official revealed to the BBC that kidnappers in Nigeria's northern Zamfara state brutally killed at least 35 captives from Banga village, despite ransom payments being made for their freedom. In this distressing case, 56 individuals were seized from the village in March, with gunmen demanding one million naira (approximately $655/£485) per person. Manniru Haidara Kaura, the local government chairman, expressed outrage, stating that the victims, mainly youths, were "slaughtered like rams." Following negotiations, 18 hostages, including 17 women and a young boy, were released after the ransom was paid, but the fate of the remaining captives was dire. As Kaura lamented, only the kidnappers know their motives for such senseless actions, emphasizing the lack of regard for human life.
