By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Former Special Adviser on Political Matters to the President, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has alleged that his family paid multiple ransoms totalling about N175 million, alongside other items, to secure the release of his nephew and three others abducted in Kaduna State in 2025.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, Baba-Ahmed recounted the 37-day ordeal, stating that the victims were kidnapped from a farm along the Kaduna–Kachia Road and held in captivity while negotiations took place.
According to him, the kidnappers initially demanded cash, motorcycles, food supplies and medication. He claimed that ransom payments were made in several instalments while family members maintained daily contact with both the abductors and the victims to confirm they were alive.Baba-Ahmed said the family repeatedly shared information, including the reported location of the captives, with security agencies and government officials in the hope of securing a rescue operation.
He further alleged that despite providing details that could assist security efforts, the victims remained in captivity for more than a month before their eventual release.The former presidential aide also expressed concern about what he described as a highly organised kidnapping network, alleging that criminal groups involved in abductions operate through structured chains of command.
Baba-Ahmed said the experience highlighted the need for stronger intelligence gathering, improved security coordination and more effective responses to kidnapping across the country. Nigerian authorities have not publicly responded to the specific allegations raised during the interview.
