In a tragic turn of events, gunmen have reportedly killed Najeebah, one of the six sisters abducted in Abuja. The young lady and her sisters were kidnapped on January 9 along with their father. Although the father was later released, the abductors demanded a ransom of N60 million for the release of the daughters by Friday, January 12.
Efforts were made to raise the ransom through public donations, but the funds collected were insufficient. Consequently, the criminals allegedly killed Najeebah, the eldest of the sisters, and disposed of her body for her parents to bury.
Former Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, confirmed Najeebah’s death, expressing condolences and calling for the rescue of the remaining kidnapped girls. In a social media post, Pantami said, “May Allah forgive her, rescue others & bring absolute peace to Nigeria.”
Former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, also called on the police to prioritize the case and deploy necessary resources to ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims. The family member of the victims had indicated that the kidnappers had tragically killed Najeebah and demanded a N100 million ransom for the release of the others.
Reacting to the situation, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, urged the victims’ family to reach out to the police with necessary information. Ahmad later confirmed that he had connected the police with a senior member of the victims’ family, expressing hope for the swift and safe rescue of the remaining sisters.
The tragic incident has stirred sadness among Nigerians on social media, with calls for urgent action by security agencies to rescue the abducted girls unharmed.