Kidnappers suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sects have demanded 800 heads of cattle as ransom for the 20 women they abducted earlier this week, a local vigilante group leader has revealed.
The women were seized near the town of Chibok,Borno State, where more than 200 girls are still in the sects custody since 14th April.
Abba Aji Khalil, chairman of a vigilante group in the state told newsmen that the demand was made known to ethnic Fulani herders, families of the abducted women, through local farmers.
“The terrorists were able to pass across the information to some local farmers, who in turn passed the message to some Fulani herdsmen,” Khalil said.
“The Fulani herdsmen told some of our members that they are not ready to release their cattle to the Boko Haram members as they are not sure because they are not sure the abductors would not renege on the deal.”
Boko Haram has been known to abduct people since about five-year ago when the insurgency against Nigeria’s government began.
The most notorious of such kidnappings was the mass abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from their school dormitory on the night of 14th April. They had later demanded a the release of all members of the sect in government captivity in exchange for the girls. The demand was rejected by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The U.S. and U.K. sent teams to Nigeria to help the government find the schoolgirls. Israel and France have also pledged assistance. The Military said last month that it knows the location of the schoolgirls and ruled out the use of force in extracting them for fear of unwittingly hurting the girls.
