The armed group that abducted 13 teenage female farmers in Borno State has demanded a ransom of N10 million, relatives of the victims told reporters on Tuesday.
Diaspora Digital Media reported that the girls were kidnapped on Saturday by fighters linked to the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) while working on their farms.
A relative of one of the victims said the abductors made contact after releasing one of the girls who is a breastfeeding mother. He explained that the teenager did not escape but was freed deliberately after the militants seized her phone and handed her a new SIM card.
“Immediately the SIM was inserted at home, a call came in. They demanded N10 million for the release of the remaining girls,” he said.
The relative said the ransom demand had thrown the poor farming community into distress.
“We are struggling to feed ourselves. Where can we get that kind of money? These girls are suffering in their hands,” he lamented, appealing to government authorities and wealthy Nigerians to intervene urgently.
When contacted, Borno State Police Command spokesman, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, said he had not received a formal briefing on the development but promised to make inquiries. He assured residents that the police were committed to securing the safe return of the abducted teenagers.
The kidnapping adds to a series of recent attacks targeting rural communities in the region, where farmers continue to face threats from insurgent groups despite ongoing military operations.