By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna State Council members have commenced individual contribution of funds towards the N500 million ransom demanded by bandits that abducted their colleague, Mal. Umar Uaman Iyale, a retired photojournalist from Ait and NTA.
His abductors had reportedly demanded for N500 millions ransom as condition before releasing the release of the veteran photojournalist, Mal. Umar Usman Iyale who was kidnapped along with others in Kaduna state.
Iyale 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, reportedly spoke to leaders of the NUJ in a long conversation via his phone from bandits captivity, appealing for whatever members could raised together with his family to meet the N500 million random demanded by the terror group.
According to the Union source, one of the abductees in bandits captivity has already been killed for inability to raise the ransom demanded from family after he had already paid N30 million, stirring up fears of the safety of Iyale.
Umar Iyale who spoke to the Union leaders on phone reportedly said “This people (the Bandits) say we should bring N500 millions as ransom. Anything you people can contribute to help me I will be grateful”.
Meanwhile, inhabitance of Millennium community located within the radius where two journalists and their families were abducted previously but were later released, have expressed fears of 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 uptil the time of filing this reports in kaduna.
Mal. Umar, is a retired staff 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 on top gear to get him rescued from the kidnappers Dem, as members used this medium to appealed for financial support from spirited individuals and organizations towards his safe and urgent released.
