Two kidnappers killed in Bauchi

Troops of the 33 Artillery Brigade Headquarters
of the Nigerian Army in Bauchi, have killed two

suspected kidnappers and rescued a 16-year-old
boy in Rafin Gigi village, Alkaleri Local
Government Area of Bauchi State.

The teenager, who was kidnapped last Friday,
was rescued after a heavy gun battle between
the troops and his abductors.
Platoon Commander of the troops, Captain

Harrison Chiagozie, while presenting the rescued
boy before newsmen at the Brigade headquarters
on Wednesday in Bauchi, said the cash sum of
N770,000 was recovered from the kidnappers.

Chiagozie disclosed that the suspected
kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N1.6m
from the family, but the family was able to raise
N770,000.

According to the Platoon Commander, “We got a
report of the kidnap of the boy, Muhammad
Musa, on Saturday and immediately, we swung
into action.

“When we got to the bush, it was around 10pm
and as soon as the family exchanged the
N770,000 they had with them and took their son,
our men who were hiding came out.

“An exchange of fire ensued between us and the
kidnappers and we killed two of them while the
others escaped. There was no casualty on our
side.

“They used torchlight to know where we were
because it was very dark. And our aim was to
rescue the boy alive.”
An uncle of the victim, Ali Umar, while
commenting on the abduction, said the
miscreants left a letter after picking the boy,
adding that prior to the rescue, he was in touch
with one of the kidnappers.

“I have been the one speaking with the
kidnappers. They demanded the sum of N1.6m
from the family before the boy would be
released to us; but we were only able to raise
the sum of N770,000 and even that was
borrowed,” he said.