In a distressing account shared on X, Nigerian journalist Jaafar Jaafar, publisher of the online newspaper Daily Nigerian, detailed a friend’s family’s harrowing experience in securing the release of a relative abducted by bandits.
The family reportedly paid a staggering ransom of N35 million in cash, alongside a list of demanded items from the kidnappers. These included “6 brand new motorcycles (with full tanks), 4 cartons of whiskey, 10 packets of Tramadol, 1 bag of Indian hemp, 1 carton of Aspen cigarettes, 12 bags of rice (50kg each), and 10 bags of maize (100kg each).”
Additional items on the list were “5 bags of beans (100kg each), one 25-litre jerry can of groundnut oil, one 25-litre jerry can of palm oil, 1 carton of seasoning, 10 packets of paracetamol, and 10 packets of chloroquine.”
Despite seeking security clearance prior to their journey, the family faced delays when soldiers detained them midway. They were ultimately permitted to continue to the bandits’ location after undergoing a profiling process.
Jaafar also highlighted that security personnel, including soldiers, police, and customs officers, have similarly paid ransoms to secure the release of their kidnapped colleagues. He lamented, “A friend yesterday narrated a painful story of how his family paid through their nose to secure the release of a relative from bandits.”