Kidnapped Kaduna Judge Freed, Abductors Threaten: Pay N150 Million Ransom In 3 Days Or We Kill Your Children

Janet Gimba, a judge of the Upper Customary Court in Kaduna State, who was abducted by gunmen suspected to be terrorists along with her four children has regained her freedom.

Sadly, the eldest of the four children was killed by the terrorists over delay in receiving a ransom of N300 million they had demanded.

SaharaReporters reports that the three of her children are still in the custody of the abductors.

SaharaReporters on Wednesday reported how Galadima, and her four children were abducted by gunmen on Sunday, June 23, 2024.

The victims were abducted at their residence in Mahuta, Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria.

The judge's husband, a medical doctor, was away on duty at the time of the incident, SaharaReporters learnt.

An X user @I_Am_Ilemona said on Tuesday that the abductors were demanding a ransom of N300 million in exchange for their safe release.

“This phone call I just took broke my heart. The wife & 4 sons of a friend's friend were kidnapped a few days ago in Kaduna. The kidnappers asked for a N300m ransom (which he doesn't have), or they'll kill his children.

“They killed his first son today. My heart is heavy.

"This phone call I just took broke my heart. The wife & 4 sons of a friend's friend were kidnapped a few days ago in Kaduna. The kidnappers asked for a N300m ransom (which he doesn't have), or they'll kill his children.

"They killed his first son today. My heart is heavy.

"They dropped his boy's body somewhere and told him to go get his lifeless boy. The boy was 14. They told him it's a warning. They said they'll kill the others. The surviving children are 12, 9 & 6," he wrote on Tuesday.

This phone call I just took broke my heart. The wife & 4 sons of a friend's friend were kidnapped a few days ago in Kaduna. The kidnappers asked for a N300m ransom (which he doesn't have), or they'll kill his children.

They killed his first son today. My heart is heavy.

— 20.10.2020 (@I_Am_Ilemona) July 2, 2024

ASP Mansir Hassan, the spokesperson for the Kaduna State Police Command, confirmed the incident to SaharaReporters on Wednesday evening, stating that the police had escalated their efforts to rescue the abducted family members.

"We are trying our best to rescue the victims," he said.

However, the husband, Musa Gimba confirmed the judge’s release on Thursday morning, noting that the woman was released without her three children.

He explained that the bandits had reduced the ransom demanded to N150 million and that it should be paid within three days.

He said they threatened to kill his children if the money was not paid.

In an X post on Thursday morning, @I_Am_Ilemona confirmed that the ransom had been reduced by the abductors.

“Mrs Janet Gimba was released yday. However, her 3 sons - Jeremy (12), Nathan (9) & Ibrahim (6) - are still in captivity. The kidnappers have reduced their demands to N150m,” he said.