By AHMAD TIJANI

Alhaji Abubakar Kabiru Babawo, President, Arewa Youth Traders Association of Nigeria on Thursday said no fewer than 27 Kano Entrepreneurs on a business trip to Aba, in Abia state lost their freedom to kidnappers along Kaduna-Abuja last Sunday.

Kabiru Babawo explained that ’The traders were on their way to Aba on Sunday so as to buy their goods on Monday morning and return to Kano on Tuesday morning when Kidnappers shot at their luxury bus on Kaduna –Abuja Highway.

He said the kidnappers initially demanded N50m for the release of the 27 young traders after establishing communication with the victims’ families, however, they are presently asking for N27m for all of them to gain their freedom.

‘’It is sad that most of them are small scale traders as some of them don’t even have more than N 400,000. Incidentally, two of the boys have just been settled by their boss to for them to be on their own, they were given N500,000 each.’’ Like those ones where do you expect them to be able to raise the demanded ransom?’’

The Arewa Youth Traders Association of Nigeria President, appealed for the release of the abducted 27 young traders as the security situation is already impacting negatively on the business environment.

In the meantime, Kaduna state government on Thursday said the incident occurred outside its boundary.

Samuel Aruwan, Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State in a statement obtained by said “The Federal security agencies operating on the Kaduna-Abuja Road, as at this time, have not reported any such incident.”

Aruwan explained that “Furthermore, from all checks conducted so far by the Kaduna State Government, the alleged kidnapping occurred elsewhere in another state. “

According to the Commissioner “The Government as the most credible source of security updates to the citizenry and the media, aims to continue in this role to promote accountability and transparency. “ (Daily Independent)

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