Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Council members have long commenced individual contribution of money towards the N500 million ransom demanded by bandits that abducted their colleague, Mal. Umar Uaman Iyale, a retired photojournalist from AIT and NTA.
Armed bandits had reportedly demanded an N500 million ransom as a condition before releasing their abducted colleague, veteran photojournalist Mal. Umar Usman Iyale, who was kidnapped along with others in Kaduna State.
The victim was kidnapped from his residence along with several others in a community popularly known as Danhonu II in Millennium City, Chikun LGA of Kaduna State, last week.
The victim, Umar Iyale, reportedly spoke to the leader of the NUJ in a long conversation via his phone from bandits’ captivity, appealing for whatever members could raise together with his family to meet the N500 million ransom demanded by the terror group.
According to the Union source, one of the abductees in the bandits’ captivity has already been killed for inability to make up the total amount of ransom demanded from family after he had already paid N30 million, stirring up fears of the security of Iyale.
Umar Iyale, who spoke to the union leader on the phone, reportedly said, “These people (the bandits) say we should bring N500 million as ransom. Anything you people can contribute to help me I will be grateful for.”
Meanwhile, inhabitants of the Millennium community, located within the radius where two journalists and their families were abducted previously but were later released, have expressed fears for the safety and security of their lives, appealing to the state government to intervene.
Both journalists and the family of the abducted photojournalists are running around to contribute money to settle the amount of ransom demanded by the bandits up until the time of filing this report in Kaduna.
Mal. Umar, a retired staff member of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Kaduna Station, and formerly of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Kaduna, was allegedly abducted from his residence at about 9:00 p.m. last Monday, according to community sources.
Residents said the gunmen carried out the operation quietly but in a coordinated manner, gaining access to the compound at a time when some members of the journalist’s family had yet to return home.
A community source said the attackers demanded money from the victim and, when he could not provide any, forcefully whisked him away to an unknown destination.
The abduction has heightened anxiety in Danhonu II, with residents expressing concern over the safety of Malam Umar, who was described as elderly and battling health challenges.
The source further said efforts are in top gear to get him rescued from the kidnappers, Dem, as members used this medium to appeal for financial support from spirited individuals and organisations towards his safe and urgent release.
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