Defence Academy Attack: Bandits demand N200m ransom for abducted Major

The gunmen who abducted Major Stephen Dantong from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Afaka, Kaduna, on Tuesday have demanded a ransom of N200 million from military authorities.

The gunmen invaded the Afaka barracks of the academy around 1am, killing two soldiers identified as Lieutenant Commodore Wulah and Flight Lieutenant Okoronwo.

One of the officers who was injured in the attack is currently being treated at a hospital within the barracks.

SaharaReporters quoting FIJ said the bandits subsequently contacted the defence academy to initiate negotiation on the payment of ransom to secure the release of Datong.

The gunmen reportedly operated for hours and left without any hindrance.

“They couldn’t kill even one of them,” an NDA source lamented to FIJ. “They searched everywhere in the bush but couldn’t find them. They had fled away with their motorbikes.”

“They have called to ask for N200 million to free the Major,” the source also said. “The attack was ridiculous. They came, teased us and left. Even the helicopter hovering in the bush could not track them.”

After the attack, Bashir Muhd Jajira, spokesman for the NDA in Kaduna, said the security architecture of the NDA was compromised by unknown gunmen who gained access into the residential area within the Academy in Afaka.

“During the unfortunate incident, we lost two personnel and one was abducted,” he said.

“The Academy, in collaboration with the 1 Division Nigerian Army and Air Training Command as well as other security agencies in Kaduna State, has since commenced pursuit of the unknown gunmen within the general area with a view to tracking them and rescuing the abducted personnel.”