In a recent security operation in Kaduna State, two bandits were shot and killed while attempting to retrieve a ransom of ₦1.5 million. The ransom was meant to secure the release of four individuals, including three women and a child, who had been abducted from Mai-Iddo village in the Kachia Local Government Area of the state.
The kidnapping occurred while the victims were on a farm last week. The abductors later contacted the families, demanding ₦1.5 million for their safe return. However, the planned ransom exchange took a fatal turn for the bandits when soldiers, in collaboration with local vigilantes, launched a strategic operation to rescue the hostages.
According to a local community leader who spoke on the incident, military forces devised a plan with a relative of the victims who was instructed to deliver the ransom to the assailants. Unknown to the bandits, the soldiers had set up an ambush at the designated collection spot.
“The arrangements were made with the troops, who collaborated with a local vigilante. The person tasked with delivering the ransom was in on the plan,” the community leader explained. “When two of the bandits arrived to collect the money, the troops, lying in wait, opened fire and killed them on the spot.”
The operation was a success, and all four abducted victims were rescued unharmed and have since been reunited with their families. The military’s quick action was praised by the local community, which has been under pressure from recurring incidents of banditry in the area. This development marks a significant victory in the ongoing fight against insecurity in Kaduna State, where kidnappings for ransom have become a frequent occurrence.
Authorities continue to search for the remaining members of the kidnapping group, particularly the ringleader, who orchestrated the abduction and ransom demand.
