We paid N900m as ransom to kidnappers un 2020 — Southern Kaduna people

The Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) has cried out for help over frequent cases of attacks and kidnap­ping for ransom which have been the lot of their people.

The group lamented that their people were becoming impoverished from paying ransom to abductors across the 12 local government ar­eas of Kaduna State where they live.

The group disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing in Kaduna.

According to SOKAPU: “Our poor vulnerable people paid over N900 mil­lion as ransom to crimi­nals in 2020.”

Advertisement

“This is a minimal and conservative estimate. These ones we have are those that have reported to us,” SOKAPU President, Honourable Jonathan Asake, said.

He stated: “At a par­ticular kidnapping point, over N60 million was paid within a spate of two months.

“There is a particular point between Kafanchan and Kwoi which came up recently and over N60 mil­lion was paid there in less than two months.

“Our people are being impoverished everyday by kidnapping and abduc­tions.”

SOKAPU noted that the Southern region of Kadu­na State was worse off as far as insecurity was con­cerned.

The group said their kindred who fell victims to kidnapping between Jan­uary and December, 2020, coughed out over N900 million to regain freedom.

He said that many others lost their lives during the period under review.

On the controversy sur­rounding the Christmas message of Bishop Mat­thew Hassan Kukah, the president of the group said the Southern Kaduna people were with Bishop Kukah for speaking truth to power over the deterio­rating security system in the country.

He stated that Bishop Kukah’s message was a timely wake-up call on the national leadership to confront the monsters of destruction across the nation.

According to him, “We feel gravely concerned, particularly with the spate of insecurity that has ceaselessly engulfed the nation, especially in communities across the Northern and Middle Belt regions.

“Nigeria as a nation is seriously undergoing se­vere security challenges where terrorists who pose as Boko Haram, bandits, or kidnappers continue to unleash premeditated and unprovoked attacks on our people and turning our com­munities into rubbles of devastation and desolation.

“The incessant kidnap­pings, gruesome massacre and displacement of indig­enous people from their homes have continued un­abated.

“Presently, in most of our communities across the 12 local government areas of Southern Kaduna, there are reported cases of daily abductions on the road, farms, homes, mar­kets and worship centres where victims have gone through unimaginable tor­ture and relations forced to pay outrageous sums of money as ransom.”