The family of Alhaji Jubril Ibiyemi, who was burned to death along with two of his children in Benue State weeks after regaining freedom from kidnappers, has called for justice and government support.

Jubril, who relocated to Benue to begin farming on the advice of a friend, was abducted with two of his four children earlier this year. The family reportedly paid a ransom of N19 million to secure their release.

However, barely weeks after regaining freedom, armed attackers stormed his residence in Yelewata community, Guma Local Council, at midnight on Friday, June 13, 2025, and set the house ablaze with the family trapped inside. Jubril and two children died in the fire, while his wife, Fatima, and one child narrowly escaped.

Fatima said the surviving children have continued to receive death threats and lamented that no government intervention has come since the incident. She urged authorities to ensure that the perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, stated that it is not the responsibility of the police to compensate victims of attacks and declined to comment on the arrest of the attackers.