OFFICERS of the Nigerian Security Defence Corps (NSCDC) who were kidnapped along with five other people, including a 12-year-old boy in Kuje area council of Abuja, the nation’s capital, have been freed after making payment of N5million ransom.

The nine were abducted last Monday by gunmen that dressed in military camouflage during nightfall at Pegi Community of Kuje Area Council, Federal Capital Territory.

The gunmen had earlier demanded 10 million from the relatives of the abductees, however, eight were released on Sunday evening after the payment of N5 million, according to Daily Trust.

A relative of one of the victims had noted the nine that includes members of the defence corps were manhandled for the six days spent in the kidnappers’ den.  The source added that one of the victims was not released over failure to meet up with the ransom the kidnappers demanded.

Meanwhile, some report stated that six of the victims were released.

Calls placed by The ICIR to the FCT police spokesperson, Anjuguri Manza, for the police comment were not picked up while the message sent was yet to receive any response.

Taiwo Adebirigbe, Chairman, Pegi Community Development Association (PECDA) confirmed their release stating that he had seen some of them in the neighbourhood including the boy.

Adebirigbe said lack of infrastructure combined with the absence of social and economic development in the community was responsible for security degradation in the area.

“We hope the FCT administration would fulfil their promise to rehabilitate the road as soon as possible,” he said.

The cases of kidnapping among the small communities in the Nation’s capital had happened in three different communities between last week and this week.

Apart from kidnapping nine people in Pegi community last Monday, two days later,  another three people at Dafara community of Kuje were abducted, while one was shot dead. The kidnappers’ target at Dafara Community was a family of an NSCDC officer. The man, his wife and son were abducted by the gunmen.

This week, on Monday, gunmen also killed a man called Ayuba Chashe, and abducted his two children at the Yebu community in Kwali Area Council of FCT.

The Chairman of Kwali Area Council, Danladi Chiya, confirmed the development to newsmen in Kwali on Tuesday.