The criminal bandits that kidnapped 16 residents of Gonin Gora area of Kaduna metropolis are demanding a whopping sum of N40 trillion as ransom for their release.

They also demanded 11 Hilux vans and 150 motorcycles to release the captives.

On Wednesday, February 28, bandits attacked the Gonin-Gora community, a suburb of Kaduna metropolis in the Chikun Local Government Area, kidnapping 16 residents.

The ransom demand comes just four days after 287 schoolchildren were abducted in Kuriga, another community in Chikun.

John Yusuf, a community leader in the area, revealed this information during a telephone interview with The Nation Newspaper on Monday in Kaduna.

He said, “The bandits have contacted us. They are demanding N40 trillion, 11 Hilux vans, and 150 motorcycles for the release of 16 people they are holding captive.

“Where are we going to get this kind of money? Even if we sell the entire community, we cannot raise N40 trillion. Even Nigeria as a country has never made a budget of N40 trillion.”

The community leader said the bandits invaded the community two times within a week.

“The abductions happened twice within a four-day interval. During the first attack, three people were kidnapped, while in the second attack, 13 people were abducted, bringing the total number of people being held captive to 16.”

He expressed concern about the extensive bushes bordering the community and the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.

He called for the establishment of a military base in the area to curb the activities of the criminals.

“We are pleading with the government to come to our aid by establishing a military base behind our community where the bandits take advantage of the bushes to invade our community.

“So when the criminals have free access through the bushes to our community, we are pleading with government to help us,” the community leader pleaded.