FCT School Principal and Daughter Freed After N3.1 Million Ransom; Describe Kidnappers’ Den as ‘Hell.’
The principal of Junior Secondary School (JSS) Naharati, Zakari Abdulkadir Yelwa, and his daughter, Hafsat Dauda, have been released from captivity.
Their abduction occurred when kidnappers invaded their residence opposite the Government Science Technical College (GSTC), Abaji, last Tuesday night, October 21. Initial reports indicated that the principal, his wife, and his daughter were all taken during the attack.
While marching the family away, the kidnappers forced the principal’s wife, Mrs. Rakiya Zakari Yelwa, to turn back because she was unable to keep up the pace. Speaking to Daily Trust on Sunday, October 25, the principal revealed that he and his daughter secured their freedom late Saturday night only after their family paid a N3.1 million ransom .
The principal described their captivity, stating that life in the kidnappers’ den was nothing short of “hell,” a trauma he prays no one else experiences. He recounted the grueling journey, revealing that he and his daughter were forced to trek through the thick forest all night until they reached the kidnappers’ camp.
“On that very night, we walked throughout the night till dawn,” he said. They were hidden in a valley during the day and continued trekking until dark before finally reaching the camp. The abductors sustained them on a meagre diet of garri and yam, which he said they had harvested from nearby farms.
The principal revealed that the kidnappers kept their faces covered with pieces of cloth until the moment he and his daughter were freed around 6:45 pm on Saturday. Their release took place in a forest bordering the Toto LGA of Nasarawa and Kogi states.
In addition to the N3.1 million, the abductors demanded and received non-cash items, including two cartons of malt, one carton of milk, bread, and several packets of cigarettes.
The principal closed by expressing profound gratitude to his colleagues, friends, and family for their support and prayers, and commended the vigilantes for their swift response during the initial attack.
