Kaduna mother, her two daughters, newborn, and five others die in captivity six months after abduction

Eight residents, including a mother and her children, who were abducted in Kaduna State, have passed away after six months in captivity. 

Bandits stormed Awon village in Kachi Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna on April 20, 2026, abducting 11 residents.

Their abductors initially demanded N300 million ransom and 23 motorcycles for their release, rejecting the rural community’s offer of several million naira and threatening that their victims would have no access to food until the ransom is paid. One person later escaped. 

However, a woman named Joy Samuel passed away on 28 August after giving birth at the camp. The baby also passed away.

Joy Samuel's 14-year-old daughter, who was kidnapped alongside her, also passed away after she was reported to be critically ill.

Journalist, Reuben Buhari, who confirmed the latest development in a Facebook post on Thursday, October 22, said Samuel's 3-year-old daughter, Silvia, has also passed away. 

Other victims, Yusuf Bawa, 34, and his five-year-old son have also passed away from sickness and acute hunger. 

Their captors reportedly reduced their ransom demands and are now requesting N9 million and four motorcycles for the release of the remaining captives, who they admitted were in extremely poor condition due to illness and starvation.

According to Buhari, out of the eleven victims, only two people are alive. 

“Heartbreaking news: The little girl in the first picture, who had been held captive for more than five months by kidnappers, has passed away, joining her 14-year-old sister. Their mother had passed away earlier in the kidnappers' camp after giving birth to a child who also died,” 

"Recall that 11 people were kidnapped on April 20th from Awon village in Kachia LGA; one person later escaped. Eight of the victims have now passed, leaving only two people alive who have spent 185 days in captivity as of today — six months.

"The bandit kingpin known as Yellow One Million, who controls all kidnapping activities and owns all the kidnappers' camps in Kachia and part of Kajuru, personally confirmed to a recent female escapee that he has unalived them.

“These pictures are of five of the eight who have passed away in the kidnapper's camp.”