Bandits who abducted a Kaduna State female judge and her four children have killed the eldest son and are threatening to kill the other children if their ransom demand is not met.
Gloria Ballason, the Chief Executive Officer of the House of Justice, revealed this in a statement on Wednesday, condemning the abduction of Customary Court Judge Janet Galadima and the murder of her 14-year-old son by the kidnappers.
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Ballason detailed that Galadima and her children were kidnapped on the night of Sunday, June 23, 2024, from their residence while her husband, a medical doctor, was on duty. “The abductors, reported to be about fifteen, took their captives hostage and demanded a huge sum as ransom.
On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the terrorists shot dead the 14-year-old first son of the judge when the ransom demanded could not be obtained,” she said.
Ballason, a human rights lawyer, described the murder of Victor, the judge’s 14-year-old son, as “grisly and blood-curdling,” emphasizing that no parent should endure the horror of watching their child killed in such a manner. She urged Nigerian security agencies, the governor of Kaduna State, the Nigeria Bar Association, and the judiciary to ensure the safety of Galadima and her children and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
In response to the tragic incident, Dr. Shuaibu Joga, Public Relations Officer of the Kaduna State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, issued a statement condemning the act and calling on security agencies to take swift action.
“Following the incident, we visited the husband and interacted with him, and he informed us that the kidnappers had made a demand of N300 million to secure their release. While the security agencies had been informed and negotiations with the kidnappers were ongoing, we received the shocking news today that the first son was killed to force payment of the said sum,” the statement read.
The association announced plans for an emergency meeting and a press conference to urge authorities to expedite the release of the kidnapped family and another doctor who was abducted six months ago. They called for calm among their members and encouraged them to stay safe while they worked with security agencies to end the violence.
A family source disclosed that the kidnappers initially demanded N300 million but later reduced the amount to N298 million. “The wife and four children of Dr. Musa Gimba Dutse were kidnapped on June 23, 2024, from his residence in Kaduna while he was away in Kano for an official assignment. Security agencies were duly informed after the incident, with kidnappers initially demanding N300 million (they reduced it to N298 million) to secure their release. While negotiations were ongoing, the kidnappers murdered Dr. Musa’s eldest son Victor (14 years) on July 2, 2024, to force payment of the ransom,” the source said.
At the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the state government or the state police command.
