Police promise to rescue five sisters kidnapped in Abuja

The police have promised to rescue six members of a family who were kidnapped in their house located in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja on 2 January.

Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made the promise in a statement on its X handle on Saturday.

The assurance comes as it emerged that one of the victims, identified as Najeeba, had been executed by the kidnappers.

An X user, Adamu Asiya, who identified himself as a cousin to the victims, announced the abduction of the family members on 3 January, adding that her uncle was killed in the process.

“Please pray for my sisters and uncle when you see this. Najeeba, her sisters, and her dad were kidnapped in their house last night. We lost an uncle in the process. Your duas are needed,” Ms Asiya had said.

Two days later, she tweeted that the father of the girls was released by the kidnappers while a ransom of N60 million was placed on the lives of the six sisters.

However, after a hashtag, #Najeebaandhersisters, was created to raise the N60 million, Ms Asiya announced on X on Saturday that Najeeba had been killed because her father could not meet the 12 January deadline for the payment of the N60 million.

She added that the kidnappers had raised the ransom to N100 million.

Mr Adejobi, in the statement titled, “We are committed to tackling kidnapping, rescuing, victims unhurt,” said the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had ordered for “Upscale tactical intelligence team,” currently handling the investigation clandestinely.

“In the wake of the abduction of six young girls in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, it is vital to state that the Police Force has already initiated a comprehensive plan of action. The Force Headquarters is diligently coordinating efforts to address this and prevent any further occurrence, as all hands are on deck to rescue the victims,” the statement said.

Mr Adejobi explained that due to the sensitivity of the matter, the operation would be carried out secretly to avoid compromising it.

“However, the sensitivity of the situation necessitates discretion, and as a result, specific details are being kept confidential to avoid compromising ongoing operations.

“The NPF is actively engaging and contacting individuals crucial to the rescue operations and investigation. The objective is not only to bring perpetrators to justice but also to intensify efforts in rescue operations for victims still in captivity. “

“Furthermore, recognising the psychological impact on affected families, the Police are encouraging open communication with their operatives to provide support, information, and assistance to mitigate the psychological warfare imposed by kidnappers on the relatives and loved ones of their victims,” he said.

Concerned Nigerians speak

A former Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, later confirmed the killing of Najeeba on Saturday night.

He said he spoke with the father of the deceased concerning the release of the remaining kidnapped girls.

“Inna lil Laahi wa inna ilaiHi Raajiun! I just read about the killing of our daughter Najeeba (400 level, ABU). I also spoke with her father about the remaining 5 of our kidnapped daughters. May Allah forgive her, rescue others & bring absolute peace to Nigeria,” Mr Pantami said in a post on his X handle.

Also, Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, through his X account, also called on the police to take necessary actions as swiftly as possible.

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“I join fellow concerned Nigerians in urgently calling on the @PoliceNG through its PPRO @PrinceMoye1 to acknowledge and respond to the unfortunate incident involving the kidnapping of Najeebah and five of her sisters #NajeebahAndHerSisters more than a week ago. The information shared by a family member @Adamu_Asiya_ this morning indicated that the kidnappers have tragically killed Najeebah as a warning and demanded a N100 million ransom for the release of the remaining victims.

“We implore the Nigeria Police to prioritise this case and deploy all necessary resources to safely rescue the remaining victims. Thank you!” Mr Ahmad, he said on his X handle.