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The former Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has disclosed that one of his friends has pledged to pay ₦50 million ransom to kidnappers to secure the release of the five remaining sisters abducted in Abuja.
The five girls were abducted alongside their eldest sister, identified as Nabeeha and their father in the Bwari Area Council Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on January 2, 2024.
The kidnappers reportedly killed Nabeeha on Friday, January 12, 2024, after his father, whom they freed to go and get ₦60 million ransom for his daughters’ release, failed to meet up with the deadline they had given him.
Nigerians had started a fundraising campaign for the ransom to secure the release of the remaining sisters while also calling on the government and the police to intervene.
However, the former Minister announced in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, 14, 2024, that a friend of his, whose name was not mentioned, has promised to contribute N50m for the girls' release.
“I am personally not in support of paying ransom to criminals. However, since it became clear, that we lost our daughter Nabeeha yesterday, and the five remaining daughters have been threatened, as I spoke with the father on the matter yesterday and today.
“Furthermore, I spoke with a friend and a brother who offered to pay the remaining 50 million Naira of the 60m immediately.
“I conveyed the account number of the father of our daughters, Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, to the friend and brother to send the money directly. Any additional amount earlier generated from yesterday, the father can use to treat the daughters and other family members in sha Allah.
“May the Almighty Allah reward the bother and friend with Jannatul Firdaus for the donation. May He also reward all those who contributed in any way with Jannatul Firdaus, too.
“May He also forgive Nabeeha and rescue her sisters. May the Almighty also help our security agencies to bring an end to these challenges. May Nigeria be a better place for all of us,” Pantami wrote on the bird app.