Families of 52 residents kidnapped across Borno State have resorted to selling their homes in anticipation of ransom demands from their abductors.
The victims were kidnapped by gunmen from different parts of the state on April 15, leaving their relatives facing weeks of uncertainty and financial strain.
Hassan Yati, spokesperson for the victims’ families, said one family whose two sons were abducted was defrauded of ₦1.5 million after individuals falsely claiming to represent the kidnappers demanded ₦3 million.
The family later discovered that the terrorists had neither demanded the money nor authorised anyone to collect ransom on their behalf.
Yati said the incident had worsened the financial difficulties faced by families already struggling to provide for their children.
He disclosed that a woman whose only daughter was among those abducted had sold her family house in Biu Local Government Area in preparation for a possible ransom demand.
“Initially, we thought it was money the kidnappers wanted. One of the parents with only daughter kidnapped told me she sold her family house in Biu in anticipation, only to hear otherwise.
“Even me, I put our family house up for sale, but no one is talking to us again,” Yati said.
Yati said he was also trying to sell his family home because his younger brother and his wife were among those abducted on April 15.
He said relatives of the victims had been putting him under pressure, accusing him of withholding information about efforts to secure their release.
“The rest of the parents bombard me with calls and messages. They now accuse me of hiding information,” he said.
According to Yati, repeated efforts to draw the government’s attention to the situation have so far produced no meaningful response, leaving the families in prolonged uncertainty.
One of the parents, Monday Bako, said she sold her house after her daughter was kidnapped on January 13, hoping to raise money if the abductors demanded a ransom.
Bako, a food vendor, said she had received no information about her daughter’s whereabouts or those of other people abducted from their community.
“I later sold my house to raise money in case we hear any information. We thought they would demand ransom but unfortunately, nothing has been demanded,” she said.
Another relative said his wife and their three-month-old baby remain in the terrorists’ custody.
“We are tired of waiting. We are dying in silence. Our appeal to the government is for them to come to our aid,” the source said.
The families are now appealing to the authorities to intensify efforts to secure the release of the 52 victims.
