Nigerian Family Reveals They Paid Ransom Instead of Police Freeing Abuja Sisters Abducted

According to an uncle of the four sisters and their cousin who were kidnapped in Nigeria, the police did not play a role in rescuing them. The girls were abducted from their home in Abuja earlier this month, and one of them was later killed. The uncle stated that a ransom was paid to the kidnappers and they dropped the girls off in a forest to be collected. The police had claimed to have successfully rescued the victims and reunited them with their relatives, but the uncle clarified that the family collected the girls themselves after paying the ransom. The case has shocked the country, with people donating to a crowdfunding initiative to help raise the ransom money. The uncle also mentioned that the number of kidnapped sisters was originally reported incorrectly, and that one of the girls was actually their cousin. The family had no choice but to pay the ransom, despite the defence minister's advice against it. The uncle, who was involved in negotiating with the kidnappers, confirmed that the money was handed over to them, supporting other accounts given by relatives. The girls were released on Saturday and the family went to retrieve them with the help of an army unit. The uncle expressed relief that the girls were found alive and mentioned that they are currently receiving medical attention. Kidnapping has become a common issue in Nigeria, mostly carried out by criminal gangs. The family did not want to discredit the police, but wanted to clarify how they managed to secure the release of the girls.