Bandits threaten to kill ex- Katsina teacher over failure to pay ransom
The abductors of Christopher Tyom, a former contract teacher in Katsina State have threatened to kill him if his family fails to pay the N5 million ransome they demanded in the next two days.
Christopher Tyom who lost his teaching job with the Katsina State government in January this year has been in bandits’ den for about a month now.
One of the relatives while speaking, disclosed that the bandits said they will kill him and dump his remains at a location where they would communicate to his family if they fail to pay the ransom in two days.
“Earlier today, when one of our relatives who spoke to the kidnappers on phone was pleading with them to release him since he has no money, they replied him that if after two days they did not receive the N5 million, they will kill him and dump his body where the family can come and carry it,” the victim’s relative disclosed.
It was also gathered from his friends and relatives that some personal belongings of the victims including his motorcycles and a little portion of rented farm land which he cultivated were sold before they could raise the sum of N150,000 offered to the hoodlums but they rejected the money.
“We sold his motorcycles, the rented farm land which he cultivated that has now been overtaken by weeds before we were able to raise the sum of N150,000 but it was rejected by the bandits.”
A source also said that his relatives and well wishers also raised the sum of N50,000 in addition to the 150,000 realized from the sales of his property which they took to the bandits to secure his release but it was turned down by the bandits.
According to a another source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the bandits told the victim’s relatives communicating with them that they are not serious about saving the victim considering the sum of 150,000 they took to them.
Christopher Tyom who was abducted early this month in Kankara, same town where over 300 school students were kidnapped last year in Katsina State was said to have been mistaken for his neighbour who owns a car, nevertheless, they held him bound even after they were reliably informed that he was not the owner of the car.
It was further gathered that efforts to raise money from the Indigenous Nigeria Association in the state to help secure the victim’s release suffered a setback as the President of the association who was sworn in a few months back lamented that he inherited a zero account from his predecessors.
He, however, said they are praying daily for divine intervention for the victim and would contact the family should anything comes up.
Another relative of the victim told said that the victim’s family said they don’t know anywhere to get additional money from for the bandits. They appeal to good spirited Nigerians to come to their aid.
“We don’t have any more money to add. All we are doing now is to pray for God’s divine intervention and to send helpers to us,” One of his relatives attest
Recall that in the early month of August, one other victim, Charles Chukudi was also kidnapped from Malumfashi a day after Christopher was kidnapped from Kankara.
However, Chukudi along with one other victim kidnapped from Funtua referred to as Architect Hassan have since regained their freedom from the bandits after paying the demanded ransom.
[Daily post]
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