Southern Kaduna people paid over N900 million to kidnappers in 2020 – SOKAPU

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

The Southern Kaduna peoples Union (SOKAPU) has said kidnapped victims from the 12 Local Government Areas in Southern Kaduna were forced to pay over Nine hundred Million Naira as ransom from January to December 2020 .
The President of the Union Jonathan Asake disclosed this during a press conference held in Kaduna yesterday.
Asake further said 143 communities across the local government areas in Southern Kaduna have been completely displaced, with over 160,000 persons, mostly women and children, now living under very harsh and dehumanizing conditions devoid of food, medication and other necessities of life.
He added that this development undoubtedly has placed Kaduna state as the nation’s capital for kidnappings and abductions.
“The incessant kidnappings, gruesome massacre and displacement of indigenous people from their homes have continued unabated.
“Presently, in most of our communities across the 12 local governments of Southern Kaduna, there are reported cases of daily abductions on the road, farms, homes, markets and worship centres where victims have gone through unimaginable torture and relations forced to pay outrageous sums of money as ransom.”