In a grim turn of events, the kidnappers responsible for the abduction of a hotel owner, his manager, and a guest in Gauraka community, Tafa LGA, Niger State, have executed their captives after receiving a N25 million ransom. The abduction, which took place in the early hours of August 17, 2024, involved the hotel proprietor, his younger brother and wife, the manager, and several guests.
Sources confirm that the two vigilantes, Abubakar Muhammad and Ibrahim Garba, who were tasked with delivering the ransom, were also killed by the kidnappers. According to Yau Ahmad, an ex-Chairman of Tafa LGA and relative of one of the slain vigilantes, the victims were shot in the Dogon-Daji Forest, which straddles the borders of Kaduna, Niger State, and the FCT.
The bodies of the victims were subsequently transported to the air force base near Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Hussaini Abubakar, the commander of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) in Tafa, reported that the remains were laid to rest on Saturday following clearance from the army.
Additionally, a previous kidnapping victim from the community, rescued a month ago, is currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at an army medical facility in Abuja.
The attack on the hotel was executed around 1 am, with bandits forcibly opening the gate and firing shots to intimidate residents. The raid drew attention from the community, but the lone security hunter present fled, and vigilantes arrived too late to intervene.
Residents lamented the ongoing violence, noting that bandits frequently transport their victims to forests near Apo and other areas along the Ijah-Koro and Ijah-Gwari Roads, which lead towards Bwari town in the FCT. The community remains in distress over the persistent security threats and the tragic loss of lives.
