Terrorists operating at Birnin-Gwari local government area of Kaduna State are now collecting ‘mudu’ of grains as ransom before releasing their kidnapped victims.
Mudu is a unit measurement used in the northern part of the country. It is equivalent to 1.3 kilogrammes of rice.
According to reports, the terrorists released six hostages they kidnapped last Saturday at Farm Centre after collecting 20 ‘mudu’ of rice, 20 ‘mudu’ of beans, 25 litres of red oil, 25 litres of groundnut oil and recharge cards of N10,000 as ransom.
In a related development, the gunmen were reported to have killed a farmer on Tuesday and kidnapped 20 others at different farms in Jangali and Kwaga communities of Birnin-Gwari, on Wednesday. The Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its chairman, Ishaq Usman Kasai.
The BEPU also said that the bandits had also informed some communities including Kwaga, Kwanan-Shehu, Unguwan Liman and Unguwan Shekarau to pay levies amounting to N12 million before they would be allowed to harvest their farm produce.
According to Kasai, “Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union regrets to report that as farmers begin to harvest their farm produce, armed bandits have intensified their attacks and imposed levies on some communities in Birnin-Gwari LGA of Kaduna State”.
“The Union updates that the 6 people of Kwaga community kidnapped at Farm Centre on Saturday were released on Wednesday, after providing the bandits 20 mudu of rice, 20 mudu of beans, 25 litre of red oil, 25 litres of groundnut oil, as well as recharge cards of N10, 000.
“Also, the four people of Unguwan Liman who were kidnapped last Saturday, and one at Unguwan Shekarau, were released on Wednesday after payment of N2million and N500,000 respectively”, he further stated.
