Kaduna Customary Court judge Janet Gimba has been freed by bandits, who are now demanding N150 million to release her three children. The judge and her four children were abducted about 11 days ago, but only she was released on Wednesday night.
The abduction occurred on June 23 at their home in Mahuta, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis. Tragically, one of her children, a 14-year-old boy, was killed on Tuesday when a ransom of N298 million couldn’t be delivered on time.
Initially, the bandits demanded N298 million but have since reduced it to N150 million, giving a three-day ultimatum for the payment or they will kill the remaining children. During the abduction, Janet Gimba’s husband, Musa Gimba, a medical doctor, was on duty at the hospital. The boy’s body was recovered and taken to the hospital.
In a phone interview on Thursday evening, the distressed judge shared that the bandits released her to gather the ransom money. She said, “Initially they demanded N298 million, but they have reduced it to N150 million and released me to go and bring the money before my children are released.”
Friends and family have turned to social media to seek financial help for the ransom. Sixtus Omokhagbor, a family friend, posted on Facebook: “Thanks so much for your huge contributions. Janet Gimba has just been released but without her remaining three sons. They were supposed to have killed the kids yesterday but we begged for a few days. Ransom has been reduced to N150 million and we have three days to raise the money or they would be killed. The first son is in the mortuary. Please, we need more financial support to release her kids.”