Gunmen in Kaduna State who kidnapped a female judge, Janet Galadima, along with her four children, have murdered her eldest son, 14-year-old Victor Galadima.
The kidnappers, who took the family hostage, have threatened to kill the remaining children if their ransom demands are not met.
Gloria Ballason, the Chief Executive Officer of the House of Justice, disclosed these details in a statement on Wednesday.
She condemned the abduction and the brutal killing of Victor, describing the incident as “grisly and blood-curdling.” According to Ballason, the family was abducted on the night of Sunday, June 23, 2024, at their residence in Kaduna State while Dr. Musa Gimba Dutse, Janet’s husband and a medical doctor, was away on duty.
The abductors, reportedly around fifteen in number, initially demanded a ransom of N300 million.
Negotiations were ongoing when the kidnappers reduced the ransom to N298 million. Despite these negotiations, the terrorists shot and killed Victor on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, to exert pressure for the ransom payment.
Ballason, a noted human rights lawyer, emphasized that no parent should endure the horror of seeing their child murdered in such a callous manner.
She called on Nigerian security agencies, the governor of Kaduna State, the Nigeria Bar Association, and the judiciary to ensure the safety of Galadima and her remaining children and to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The Nigeria Medical Association’s Kaduna State chapter also issued a statement, condemning the incident.
Dr. Shuaibu Joga, the association’s Public Relations Officer, recounted a visit to Dr. Musa, who shared the details of the ransom demands and the tragic killing of his son.
The association has called for an emergency meeting and a press conference to urge authorities to expedite efforts for the safe release of the remaining hostages, including another doctor kidnapped six months ago.
“In response, we are calling for an emergency SEC meeting today and a press conference to further call on the authorities to expedite action on securing their immediate release and also the release of our other doctor kidnapped 6 months ago.
“We call for calm from members and request all to stay safe while we engage the necessary security organs to end this needless wanton evil.”
A family source said the kidnappers who initially demanded a ransom of N300m later reduced to amount to N298m to secure the release of the abducted judge and their remaining children.
In their statement, the association implored its members to remain calm and stay safe while they engage with security agencies to resolve this crisis.
Despite the gravity of the situation, there has been no official statement from the Kaduna State government or the state police command.
