Communities in Kaduna and Niger states have urgently appealed to President Bola Tinubu for intervention in the kidnapping of two District Heads, Sani Shekarau and Abdullahi Usman, who have been held captive by a terrorist group for four months.
Despite the payment of over N100 million in ransom to the kidnappers, led by Kachalla Halilu and Kachalla Gudale, the terror group continues to demand more money and motorcycles. The district heads are reportedly in poor health due to torture and are being held in the same camp.
The Birnin-Gwari-Niger Inter-boundary Community Union for Peace and Development has urged President Tinubu to mobilize security forces to rescue the district heads and end the terror inflicted on their communities.
In a letter to President Tinubu, Ishaq Kasai, chairman of the union, emphasized the urgent need for action: “We implore you to use your authority to rescue our district heads and restore hope to our communities.”
The letter, which was also sent to Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Niger State Governor Muhammad Bago, Senator Lawal Usman, and House of Representative member Bashir Usman, highlighted the suffering of the families and the failure to end the kidnappers’ demands despite significant ransom payments.
The letter reads in part: “It is with utmost distress and anguish that we recount the harrowing tale of our esteemed traditional ruler, Alhaji Sani Shekarau, District Head of Kakangi of Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who has been held captive by armed bandits for a staggering four months now. Despite the painful and crushing ransom of about N100 million paid to the bandits, they remain trapped in the clutches of these ruthless perpetrators, with no end in sight to their ordeal.”
The communities have called for immediate action from the President and the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, to deploy additional security forces to the inter-boundary areas where the bandits operate with impunity.