Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, the father of six abducted girls, including Nabeeha, who was killed in captivity, has narrated how the bandits got access to them.
The Informant247 had earlier reported how some kidnappers ravaging the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, kidnapped six sisters of the Al-Kadriyar family and demanded a ransom of N60 million for their release, whereas one of the six girls, Nabeehah, a student of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) was killed following the delay of the ransom.
However, in an interview with Arise TV News, the father narrated the experience that led to the abduction of his girls following a gun duel with the security agents, saying he mistook the bandits for armed robbers when he first sighted them in his compound through the door and windows, adding that he called his brother, Alhaji Abdulfatai, for help.
Unfortunately, Abdulfatai, who was with the police, lost his life in the effort to rescue the abductees.
He added that three policemen were injured in the gun duel with the terrorists.
He praised the gallant effort of his brother, who mobilised the police to his neighbourhood to rescue them, but unfortunately, they were overwhelmed by the assailants.
He said, “I picked up my phone. I was trying to see who I could call, neighbours around. My memory was like, ‘who do I call?’ I was confused. But along the line, I was able to pick myself up and said let me call my brother. And I called my brother. I said where are you, there is a problem; we have been attacked by thieves.
“Within 15 minutes. I called back; he said Bros, I am close to you. That’s OK. So I was a bit relaxed. The guys, I have already sighted them by the window. They pulled the window, and they broke the glass. I knew they were in full force.
“There was nothing I could do than for me to surrender myself to them. I know what it is that you need. One of them said, ‘Ina kudi’ (where is money), I looked at him and I said I don’t have money.
“He marched me out of my room and my children, too. They had already broken the door. They used a long jigger they saw in my compound. They broke the doors and got access to my children.
“Their intention was to lead us out of that community to the main road. So I had the confidence that at least the police would come or other security people would come, that would make them leave us and run away.
“When I noticed my brother was driving in. I was happy. He was the one that actually led the police to my community. When I sighted his car, they (the kidnappers) had already positioned themselves again. When they understood that they were coming but, they didn’t know who was coming. But they saw the police light on; they knew quite alright that these guys had come for them
“They told us to lie down, and I told my children, just go down. Three of them now went to a building not far from the main road, trying to gain entrance to that building. I was seeing them using arrows and all sorts of things to break the security lights. It was from there they now exchanged bullets (with the police).
“I saw my brother was trying to drive further, the next thing was for him to reverse back. The reverse that he did, I believed they must have shot him. So the police vehicle got stuck. They were all exchanging gunfire with themselves.
“After a few minutes, I think the police stopped. They could not advance further. I know they must have injured my brother or the police. For the police vehicle could not to advance further, meaning that they could not withstand the guys.
“Thereafter, they were able to regroup themselves and get their strength that they had injured these people. They now asked us to stand up and go back to the village, take another route to get out of that place.”
Nigerians expressed anger and frustration altogether when the bandits killed one of the girls in the forest when they did not receive the ransom they demanded.
Al-Kadriyar: Family counters Police’s report over sisters’ freedom
The Informant247, however, reports that following the release of the five abducted girls of the Al-Kadriyar family by their captors, the emerging details of the abducted victims have continued to spark controversy
The earlier reports have it that the FCT police command, in a statement issued on Sunday through the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the effort of the Command’s anti-kidnapping squad led to the rescue of the victims.
“Following the relentless advancement of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command Anti-Kidnapping squad in a concerted effort with troops of the Nigerian Army, on the heels of the kidnappers that struck the Zuma 1 area in the Bwari Area Council on the 2nd of January 2024, The FCT Police has rescued the victims and reunited them with their families.
“The operatives successfully rescued the Victims around Kajuruforest in Kaduna state at about 11:30 pm on Saturday 20th January 2024,” the statement reads in part.
However, in a counterclaim, the family disclosed that the girls were released after the ransom was paid and not rescued.
Narrating how the five girls were released, an uncle to the victims, Jamiu Salman, said a call from one of the victims was received around 8 pm on Saturday that their captors released them and gave the details of the location.
He narrates, “On getting the information, I and a younger brother to their father mobilized ourselves and left for the Jere junction, where we sighted some military men and approached them to introduce ourselves.
“They provided us with escort down to a bush around Gurara Dam, where they stopped. We proceeded and met the children. We arrived back home after 11 pm, in the company of the military escort.”
He confirmed that a ransom was paid last Wednesday but declined to disclose the amount.
Also speaking, a cousin of the children, Mubarak Alkadriyar, who was on the journey to bring back the children, said the bandits had earlier called them and directed them about where and whom to pay the ransom.
“They released 12 people altogether – comprising five from Al-Kadriyar’s family, and seven other people from three different families abducted from the Dutse axis in the FCT. We jointly made the payment last Wednesday.
“It was a collective payment with the other family members. They told every family what to pay, and one person agreed to collect all the money on behalf of the others and given directives on how to bring the money,” Mubarak said.
Mubarak Al-Kadriyar also faulted a claim that the victims were rescued by security men, insisting that their captors released them after ransom was paid.
“They have done their best actually, but as I earlier said, what they did was not enough. The security agencies have failed to prioritize the lives of the citizens, which is their duty.
“Because even after the ransom was paid, should they come in to say they want to rescue them?
“The bandits shouldn’t have stayed conveniently from Wednesday down to Saturday night and at their convenience to release them to us, and they left thereafter without anybody confronting them.”
Police react as bandits kill one out of six kidnapped children
The Informant247 reports that the Nigeria Police force had said that it is intensifying plans to rescue the children of six abducted by the bandits in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory while assuring Nigerians that plans are ongoing to prevent further kidnapping cases across the country.
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, made this known in a statement signed on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Pantami, while responding to a question from an X (formerly Twitter) user who wondered why so much money was spent on the policy, and yet insecurity has remained unabated, said the application of the policy has been a significant problem, said, “NIN-SIM policy has been working. However, the relevant institutions fighting criminality are to be requested to ensure they utilise it effectively when a crime is committed.”
He added: “Lack of utilising it is the main problem, not the policy. While in office, I know of three instances where the policy was utilised, and it led to the success of their operations.
“On the lack of utilisation, I am more worried than anyone, as my life was threatened by criminals for reintroducing it, including on BBC Hausa and national dailies; I resisted and ensured its implementation.
“If it is not being utilised by the relevant institutions in charge of securing lives and property, then I am more frustrated than any person, as I sacrificed my life and ignored all the threats to life.
“This is just a point out of 100 on the policy. May the Almighty rescue all the kidnapped and bring absolute peace and stability to Nigeria, and may He (SWT) continue to guide our leaders and help them always in discharging their responsibilities.”
However, the former minister of Communication and Digital Economy announced that a friend of his had offered to pay N50 million of the N60 million ransom demanded by bandits who abducted Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar’s six children.
He wrote, “Alhamdu lil Laah! I am personally not in support of paying ransom to criminals. However, since it becomes clear, we lost our daughter Nabeeha yesterday, and the 5 remaining daughters have been threatened, as I spoke with the father on the matter yesterday and today.
“Furthermore, I spoke with a friend and a brother who offered to pay the remaining 50 million Naira of the 60m immediately. I conveyed the account number of the father of our daughters, Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, to the friend and brother to send the money directly. Any additional amount earlier generated from yesterday, the father can use to treat the daughters and other family members in sha Allah.”
“May the Almighty Allah reward the brother and friend with Jannatul Firdaus for the donation. May He also reward all those who contributed in any way with Jannatul Firdaus, too,” he prayed
“May He also forgive Nabeeha and rescue her sisters. May the Almighty also help our security agencies to bring an end to these challenges. May Nigeria be a better place for all of us,” Pantami added.
