Terrorists have demanded a N500 million ransom for the release of five road construction workers kidnapped a fortnight ago in Kwara State. They were abducted on December 15 in broad daylight while at the state government’s construction road site on the Sabaja/Owa-Onire Road in Isin Local Council of the state.
Addressing newsmen yesterday in Ilorin, families of the kidnapped victims, led by one Mr Dare Boyinbogun, who alleged state government neglect, revealed that the abductors have contacted them and made a N500 million ransom demand.
According to him, the bandits have, however, turned down further negotiations with the families and the entire community, insisting that the negotiation must either be with the government or no one at all.
Boyinbogun stated that all efforts by the community and the families to convince the state government through the Ministry of Works to prevail on the abductors were abortive as “the government seems not to be serious about it, hence this our press conference.”
He recalled that the hoodlums, at about 11:40 a.m. on the said date, “stormed the site and took away five innocent workers: Ademola Afolabi, Abdullahi Lade, Emmanuel Okuwadare Kayode, Fatai Akin, and a driver, Yusuf.
“Since that moment, our lives have been suspended between hope and despair.” According to him, “these men were not criminals. They were not adventurers. They were professionals and labourers contributing to the development of the country and Kwara State.
“They went to work that morning believing they would return home safely. Instead, their families have been thrown into anguish and despair.” Boyinbogun acknowledged the efforts of the police and other security authorities, saying: “We appreciate every step taken. But we must state clearly and urgently: time is not on our side.”
THE development came as the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) executed two high-impact precision Air Interdiction (AI) missions on December 28 at Turba Hill and Kachalla Dogo Sule’s Camp, both in the Tsafe council area of Zamfara State, neutralising several bandits in the process.
The air assets were targeted at identified enclaves and locations based on credible, multiple-source intelligence. NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, confirmed in a statement yesterday the AI mission conducted at Kachalla Dogo Sule’s Camp, a notorious bandit stronghold identified as a key Improvised Explosive Device (IED) manufacturing and operational hub.
Ejodame said Intelligence had linked the camp to the planning and execution of recent IED attacks along the Dan Sadau–Magami axis.
He added that another strike targeted Turba Hill, a confirmed bandit hideout, which persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance revealed significant human activity and an operational zinc-roofed structure assessed to be central to the enclave’s activities.
According to him, following identification, the target was engaged with precision, resulting in a direct hit. He added that post-strike battle damage assessment confirmed the destruction of the structure and neutralisation of several bandits.
Ejodame observed that the decisive air strikes represented a significant degradation of bandit networks operating in Zamfara, particularly their capacity to manufacture and employ improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
