Bandits have finally released the remaining 56 kidnapped victims from Kafin Koro and Kwagana wards in the Paikoro Local Government Area of Niger State. The victims had spent a harrowing 6 months in captivity.
DAILY NIGERIAN reported that on March 14, the terrorists had brazenly stormed Kaffin-Koro and the surrounding communities, abducting over 60 residents, mostly farmers who were simply going about their daily routines.
Initially, some of the victims were set free after their desperate families succumbed to the demands of the merciless criminals and paid hefty ransoms.
In June, a distressing video was released by the heartless gunmen, threatening to end the lives of these innocent victims if their terrified families failed to meet their ransom demands.
Confirming the long-awaited release, Sabastine Maikarfi, the coordinator of the Kaffin-Koro Axis Concerned Youth, expressed relief and gratitude as he revealed that the victims were finally released on August 6.
According to Maikarfi, the release of the victims was secured through the payment of a significant ransom, further emphasizing the urgent need for authorities to address the issue of banditry in Niger State.
Rev. Fr Bahago Dauda Musa, the coordinator of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission at the Catholic Diocese of Minna, also confirmed the safe release of the victims. Musa highlighted the urgent need for mental health support for the traumatized abductees, as they struggle to recover from their agonizing ordeal.
“My interactions with the victims of banditry in Niger State have been nothing short of traumatic,” Musa lamented. “These individuals have endured unimaginable horrors. Many of them were either kidnapped or had loved ones kidnapped.”
He went on to express deep concern for the mental well-being of the victims, stating that a significant number of them are now grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which severely impacts their mental health.
Musa earnestly appealed to the state government and mental health experts to extend assistance to the abductees, ensuring they receive the necessary support needed to overcome the profound trauma they have endured in the aftermath of their abduction.
