By Sylvanus Viashima
Jalingo (Precise Post) – Kidnappers of 26 passengers who were traveling from Takum to Wukari on Wednesday have demanded for N52 Million ransom to secure the release of the victims.
According to a family source to one of the victims who spoke in confidence, the kidnappers used mobile phones of the victims to demand N2 million on each of the victim from their relatives.
“There is reliable information that the kidnappers have moved the victims into a forest situated between Takum local government in Taraba and Katsina-Ala in Benue State and are demanding two million Naira for each of the victims.”
In a rather bizarre twist, it gathered was gathered that a group of youths have captured over thirty one persons within the Takum area in retaliation to the kidnapping.
“In revenge to the kidnapping of the twenty six victims, youths within Takum area on Thursday evening attacked some residents and abducted thirty one persons, including women and children. They are held hostage in an unknown hideout in Takum”.
He said those who abducted thirty one also vowed to kill all of them should anything happen to their kinsmen.
Spokesman of the Taraba State Police command DSP David Misal confirmed that the kidnappers have communicated with relatives of the victims, and appealed to youths in the area to exercise patience, promising the police was making concerted efforts to secure the release of the kidnapped victims.
Our correspondent recall that over Twenty-six youths from Takum local government area of Taraba state were on Wednesday abducted by gunmen along Wukari-Takum road while they were returning from a wedding programme in Wukari in a Toyota Hummer bus at about 8.30am when they ran into a group of gunmen between Chechenji and Kofai Ahmadu villages.
It was gathered the gunmen hijacked the vehicle they were travelling with and drove the 26 passengers, including the driver of the bus to an unknown destination.
Our correspondent further gathered the gunmen drove from Kofai Ahmadu village in Taraba and headed for Benue axis.
According to sources, all accusing fingers are being pointed at the notorious Ghana boys said to have been flushed out of Benue due to activities of operation Whirl- Stroke going on in Benue State.
