Kaduna bandits collect ‘mudu’ of rice, beans as ransom to free 6 hostages

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 Nigeria. It is equivalent to 1.3 kilogram of rice.

They, however 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 another 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.

Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressive Union (BEPU), disclosed this in a statement issued on yesterday by its chairman, Ishaq Usman Kasai.

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 (BEPU) regret 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 kidnapped at Farm Centre on Saturday 24/9/2022 who were of Kwaga community were released yesterday, Wednesday 28/9/2022 after providing the bandits 20 Mudu of rice, 20 Mudu of beans, 25 litre of red oil, 25 litres of groundnut oil and recharge cards of N10,000.

“Also, the four people of Unguwan Liman who were kidnapped on Saturday 24/9/2022 and one at Unguwan Shekarau were released yesterday Wednesday after payment of N2million and N500,000 respectively.