Bandits terrorising the peace in Kaduna State have reportedly shot dead a newborn baby delivered at their camp when the baby’s mother was in captive.
According to reports, the child’s mother, her husband, Mustapha, and their 16-year-old daughter, Mahapuza Mustapha, were kidnapped in early February this year at their residence in the Janjala community in Kagarko local area of the state.
Many days after, the husband, Mustapha, was freed after the bandits had collected N2 million ransom, including a brand new motorcycle and foodstuff from his relatives.
However, they held back his pregnant wife and daughter and demanded another N2 million before the woman and her daughter could be freed.
The victim’s relative who spoke to Daily Trust on the development today disclosed that the woman gave birth at the bandits’ den last Sunday.
According to Yakubu Dati, after releasing the woman, the bandits held down her daughter in their captivity and demanded another N1. 5 million before the girl was freed.
“You know, at the time the woman was kidnapped alongside her husband and daughter, she was over seven months, until on Sunday, the bandits’ leader called the family that they should come and pick up the woman as she has delivered a child,” Dati told reporters.
He explained further that when the family tried to enquire from the bandits’ leader about the whereabouts of the newly born baby, he told them that they had killed the baby.
“So, all the family had to do was to go and pick up the woman at a location back home, and she is on treatment at a private hospital in Kagarko town, except the other major concern is how to raise N1.5 million to see that her daughter is released what is left, “Dati added.
Confirming the devastating incident, the Madaki of Janjala, Samaila Babangida, told the publishing platform that he was shocked and saddened about the killing of the newborn.
“In fact, we are under siege here in Janjala due to activities of bandits who sometimes invade our peoples’ houses in broad daylight and whisk them away at gunpoint,” Babaginda was quoted saying.
There was no response from the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command over the development at the time of filing this report.
