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The Nigerian social media space is currently experiencing a torrential outpouring of rage by concerned citizens over the killing of a lady identified as Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar by daredevil bandits.
On January 9, 2024, a report broke that the deceased, alongside her five other sisters and their father, had been kidnapped by gun-wielding hoodlums in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city.
Sharing the news on her X (formerly Twitter) account, Adamu Asiya, who identified herself as a cousin to the kidnapped sisters, disclosed that the kidnappers killed her uncle during the abduction.
“Please pray for my sisters and uncle when you see this. Nabeeha, her sisters, and her dad were kidnapped in their house last night. We lost an uncle in the process. Your duas are needed,” she tweeted.
Pulse learnt that the gunmen later released their father and gave him a deadline of January 12 to produce ₦60m as ransom for the release of her daughters.
This prompted concerned netizens to start a fundraising campaign as Nigerians were urged to donate whatever they had into a dedicated bank account.
Unfortunately, not enough money was gathered as of the Friday deadline, resulting in the hoodlums reportedly killing Nabeeha, the second oldest of the six sisters and subsequently dumping her body for her parents to bury.
Confirming the incident on the night of Saturday, January 13, 2024, Isa Ali Pantami, the former Minister for Communication and Digital Economy, said he had spoken with the father of Nabeeha over the remaining kidnapped girls.
“Inna lil Laahi wa inna ilaiHi Raajiun! I just read about the killing of our daughter Najeeba (400 level, ABU). I also spoke with her father about the remaining 5 of our kidnapped daughters. May Allah forgive her, rescue others & bring absolute peace to Nigeria,” he said in a post on his X handle.
Outraged Nigerians demand action
Following the ugly turn of events, Nigerians on social media are demanding urgent action from the police and the Federal Government to ensure the safe release of Nabeeha's sisters and save the family from further anguish.
Leading the call, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while expressing sadness over the incident, said Nabeeha's death shows that kidnappers and other criminals were operating in the country unhindered.
He said this in a reaction post on his X account, where he also called on the government to rejig the nation's security architecture to halt the free rein of criminals and assure the safety of the citizens.
“I am saddened by reports of the brutal murder of Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, who was abducted with her siblings and has been in the custody of their abductors for almost two weeks.
“This is yet another reminder that kidnappers and bandits are operating unhindered in our country.
“The security architecture needs to be rejigged to the extent that it stems from the free rein of criminal elements and guarantees the safety of lives and property.
“The security agencies should step up action to rescue the rest who are still in the custody of the kidnappers”, Atiku wrote.
Bashir Ahmad, former media aide to the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari, called on the Nigerian police to prioritise the case and deploy all necessary resources to bring the girls home.
“I join fellow concerned Nigerians in urgently calling on the @PoliceNG through its PPRO @PrinceMoye1 to acknowledge and respond to the unfortunate incident involving the kidnapping of Najeebah and five of her sisters #NabeehaAndHerSisters more than a week ago," his post on X partly read.
For his part, @dansatty said, “People get kidnapped day-in day-out in a country that has a government? Where are the security operatives saddled with the responsibility of protecting the citizens? What is the president @officialABAT doing about all these? It is a stranger’s turn today, it can be your turn or your loved ones’ tomorrow. #Najeebahandhersisters.”
@wizarab10 posted, “Hello @IretiKingibe. A father and his 6 daughters were kidnapped within the FCT. The dad was later released with a request to bring N60 million naira to secure his daughters’ safety. Unable to meet the deadline, one was killed and others will follow suit if he doesn’t meet their demands
“How do we secure the release of this man’s daughters? Please, how do you intend to secure the lives of the citizenry within the Federal Capital? I need you to use your good office to help.”
“For your information, the police and other security agencies have been on the matter. Don’t allege security operatives wrongly, rather you ask questions, and you will be guided and informed. Ask questions, and drop allegations or speculations. Peace!!!,” Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi responded to an X user who alleged that police had been silent on the incident.