By Hussaina Sufyan Ahmad
On Friday, abductors of the Zaria Local Council workers in Kaduna State contacted individual families to demand ransom, ranging from N15m, N20m to N100m on each abductee.
Spokesperson of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, confirmed this on Saturday at Abuja. He said:
“It has come to our notice that the abductors had made contact with their families. We learnt that the captors assured their safety to the families of the captives and demanded ransom.”
“With the unfolding scenario, the CNG headquarters has resolved to direct its Kaduna State students’ wing to put its planned mass protest on hold so as not to disrupt this fresh development.”
“We assure affected families, particularly the aggrieved students, who are in solidarity with their fellows, whose parents are among the victims, that CNG would remain vigilant, concerning the direction the situation would turn, until their parents are brought back alive.”
“We, however, frown at the discouraging silence by the authorities in the past four days since the captives, who are legitimate government workers, were abducted while carrying out an official assignment,” he said. The group called for special prayers for the safe return of all victims currently in captivity anywhere.”