Bandits who killed Katsina lecturer demand N300 million ransom from widow

David, who was the Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, at the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA), was gunned down last week by bandits who abducted two of his children in Katsina State, northwest Nigeria.

The bandits who murdered Dr. Tiri Gyan David, a senior lecturer, have reached out to his widow, demanding a ransom of N300 million in exchange for the release of their two abducted children.

David, who was the Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development, at the Federal University Dutsinma (FUDMA), was gunned down last week by bandits who abducted two of his children in Katsina State, northwest Nigeria.

On July 2, 2024, the tragic incident and the abduction of the children was reported.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at his residence in Yarima Quarters, Low-Cost Estate in the Dutsinma Local Government Area of the state.

However, a friend of the family told journalists on Sunday that the terrorists contacted the lecturer’s widow and demanded the sum of N300 million to free her abducted boys.

The source said the terrorists “called Dr. David’s widow in the early hours of Sunday and his younger brother answered the call”.

“They demanded N300 million and his widow replied in the background telling them that ‘you’ve killed the person who may have probably been able to get something for you guys,’” the source said.

“I’m a widow and not a working-class type, how do you expect me to raise that kind of ransom?” she was quoted to have asked.

It was gathered that after hearing her voice, the terrorist on the phone asked, “Are you the woman whose two boys are here with us?”

According to the source, they ended the call and promptly switched off their phone, cutting off all further communication.

Proofreading by Uchechi Ojo, Sub-editor at Neptune Prime.