By Tijani Labaran
Authorities in Kogi State have arrested two suspected members of a gang linked to a viral video showing kidnapped victims being flogged in captivity in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area.
The disturbing footage, which has sparked outrage, reportedly features victims abducted on April 13 from Odae-Bunu community.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Kabba/Bunu Local Government Authority acknowledged the tension generated by the video and assured residents that efforts were underway to rescue the victims.
The statement, signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Information, Communication and Strategy to the council chairman, Nayo Jude Babatunde, said intelligence gathering and community cooperation led to the arrest of a prime suspect.
“Following interrogation, the suspect’s confession led to the arrest of another accomplice, who is also in custody,” the statement said.
It added that the suspects, identified as indigenes of Olle-Bunu, provided useful information, including locations of the kidnappers’ camps.
According to the council, a joint operation involving the military, police, Joint Task Force and over 100 local vigilantes is ongoing to track down the kidnappers and rescue the victims.
Sources said the kidnappers killed one of the victims and sent the video to the family, followed by another clip showing those still in captivity being beaten.
Residents disclosed that the abductors are demanding a ransom of N500 million for the release of the victims, four of whom are said to be members of a royal family in the community. The attackers were reported to have invaded the area, abducting two royal queens and their children before taking them into a forest hideout.
In the viral clip, the victims were heard crying for help in Owé and Bùnú dialects as they were flogged by their captors.
A community leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, security agencies and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene.
“It is heartbreaking to watch a mother being beaten after her son was killed before her eyes. We are pleading for urgent help to secure their release,” the source said.
Meanwhile, efforts to get a response from the Kogi State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, did not respond to calls and messages as of the time of filing this report.
