A judge of the Upper Customary Court, Sabon Tasha Division in Kaduna state, Northwest Nigeria, Janet Galadima, along with her four children have been kidnapped by bandits.
The kidnappers, numbering up to 15, stormed the residence of the judge on June 23, 2024, located in the Mahuta area of Kaduna at night when her husband, Dr. Musa Gimba Dutse, a medical doctor, was away on duty.
Gloria Ballason, a human rights lawyer and CEO of the House of Justice, confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that kidnappers have issued threats to kill her remaining sons if a ransom isn’t paid promptly.
Ballason disclosed that the kidnappers tragically killed the 14-year-old son of a judge who was held captive when the family was unable to meet the ransom demands. The boy, Victor Gimba, was fatally shot on July 2.
“The abductors, reportedly numbering about 15, abducted their hostages and demanded a substantial ransom,” Ballason stated. She appealed urgently to the government, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and security agencies to intervene swiftly to secure the safety of the judge and her family.
In response to the incident, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) condemned the attack, emphasising the shocking nature of Victor Gimba’s death aimed at coercing ransom payment.
Dr. Shuaibu Joga, the NMA’s Public Relations Officer, expressed deep concern and announced plans for an emergency SEC meeting and subsequent press conference. The NMA intends to urge authorities to prioritize the swift release of the judge and her family, as well as the doctors kidnapped six months ago.
“We call for calm and safety among our members while we collaborate with security agencies to end this unnecessary cruelty,” Dr. Joga concluded.
Confirming the tragic incident, Mansir Hassan, the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, reported that the judge and her four children were abducted from their home in the Mahuta area of Chikun local government, on the outskirts of Kaduna metropolis, on June 24, 2024.
Hassan further stated that the kidnappers subsequently killed the judge’s 14-year-old eldest son, Victor Galadima. His body was discovered by police officers from the Sabon Tasha Division at Ungwan Bayero of Dutse village, near the toll gate along the Kaduna-Abuja Highway, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
The police spokesman assured the public that the Command’s anti-kidnapping squad, in collaboration with other security agencies, is actively engaged in efforts to rescue the abducted judge and her remaining three children. They are also working diligently to apprehend the criminals responsible for this heinous act.
The Northwestern part of Nigeria particularly Kaduna State, has been ravaged with insecurity over the years perpetrated by bandits who engaged in unwanton killings and kidnapping-for-ransom schemes ranging across all social classes, from politicians and members of their families to imams, clergymen, security guards, and farmers.
In data issued by the Kaduna government in 2023, a total of 1,052 deaths were recorded as a result of banditry and other attacks in the state in 2022, while another 214 persons were killed in similar incidents between January and March 2023.
It further said a total of 746 people were kidnapped in the first quarter, with Kaduna Central Senatorial District accounting for 492 (about 66% of the total).
It added that all of these occurred in Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi, Chikun and Kajuru LGAs. One hundred and thirty-seven people were kidnapped from Birnin Gwari LGA and 131 from Igabi LGA. Giwa LGA recorded 100 kidnapped persons, Chikun LGA 83, and Kajuru LGA 41.
The state governor appearing in a Channels TV programme in February 2024 attributed the crisis to economic problems.
He said; “The North-West crisis has to do with banditry and kidnapping, it is an economic problem. When you look at the situation critically, you will agree with me that most of those bandits always kidnap innocent people and ask for ransom and whenever they are given money, they will release the victims in many cases and in some cases when there is a delay they end up taking the lives of those victims.
“And when you look at the situation, you also look at the problem of poverty, unemployment, hopelessness and lack of education particularly in the Northwestern part of Nigeria, that is the reason why a lot of these incidents happen.”
YOU MAY ALSO READ: DR Congo sentences over two dozen soldiers to death for fleeing during battle with M23 rebels