Abducted pregnant woman ‘freed’

Sumayya Abubakar, a pregnant woman who was abducted in Dauran town in Zamfara State, has been released by her kidnappers.

A close associate of the family, Ibrahim Garba, confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday morning.

The abductors threatened to kill Mrs Abubakar after her family said they could not raise the N20 million ransom the criminals demanded.

Perhaps to show their determination to carry out their threat, the kidnappers told Mrs Abubakar’s father in a telephone conversation that they killed 20-year-old Surajo Umar, a neighbour to Mr Yusuf, who was also in their custody.

Mrs Abubakar and Mr Umar were abducted in October alongside four others in a village in Dauran town, Zurmi local government area of Zamfara State.

But, according to Mr Garba, the ransom was later reduced to N10 million.

Mr Garba said Mrs Abubakar’s parents paid the N10 million and she was released. He added that Mrs Abubakar was unhurt.

Ms Abubakar and Mr Umar were abducted in October alongside four others, (including the twins) in Zurmi, a village in Dauran town in Zamfara State.

The four others have been released after payment of ransom by their relatives, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how two of the victims, twin sisters, were released in November 2018 after payment of ransom to the kidnappers by the victims’ relatives.

The abductors threatened to kill them after the girls’ family said they could not raise the N15 million ransom the criminals demanded, but reports said the kidnappers later reduced the amount.

In an audio clip that went viral, one of the twins was heard pleading for help from both the government and the general public, saying some kidnapped victims, whose families could not pay the ransom to free them, were slaughtered in their presence.

PREMIUM TIMES’ efforts to reach the Zamfara police spokesperson, Mohammed Shehu, to confirm the release were unsuccessful, as at press time on Tuesday.