Bandits have killed the 14-year-old son of Customary Court Judge Janet Galadima after delays in paying a N300 million ransom demanded for the release of the judge and her children in Kaduna State, reports are saying.
The gunmen who abducted Galadima and her children are now threatening to kill the remaining children if their ransom demands are not met.
Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, chief executive officer of the House of Justice, condemned the abduction and murder, expressing outrage over the kidnapping of Judge Galadima and her four children, as well as the brutal killing of her 14-year-old son.
The incident occurred on the night of Sunday, June 23, 2024, when Judge Galadima and her four sons were taken hostage from their residence in Kaduna State, North-West Nigeria. Her husband, a medical doctor, was away on duty at the time.
According to Ballason, approximately fifteen abductors took the family hostage and demanded a substantial ransom. On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the terrorists killed the judge’s 14-year-old son when the ransom could not be secured.
Ballason strongly condemned the abduction and murder, stating that judicial officers, under Article 7 of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary, deserve protection and adequate security to carry out their duties.
She emphasized that the Nigerian state has a constitutional mandate under Section 33 and 14 (2)b of the 1999 Constitution to ensure the safety of the judge, her family, and all citizens.
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Describing the murder of Victor, the 14-year-old son, as “grisly and blood-curdling,” Ballason declared that no parent should endure the horror of watching their child being killed in such a manner.
She called on Nigerian security agencies, the Governor of Kaduna State, the Nigeria Bar Association, and the Judiciary to act urgently to protect the lives of Judge Janet Galadima and her children and to ensure justice is served.
The police spokesperson in Kaduna has not yet responded to inquiries about the incident at the time of this report.
In a related statement, Shuaibu Joga, the PRO of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Kaduna State chapter, expressed shock over the incident involving their member, Musa Gimba Dutse, whose wife and four children were kidnapped on June 23, 2024, while he was away on an official assignment in Kano.
Joga noted that the kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N300 million, later reduced to N298 million. Despite ongoing negotiations and the involvement of security agencies, the terrorists killed Musa’s eldest son, Victor, to force the payment.
The NMA has called for an emergency SEC meeting and a press conference to urge authorities to expedite actions to secure the immediate release of Musa’s family and another doctor kidnapped six months ago.
The NMA also urged its members to remain calm and stay safe while engaging with the necessary security organs.
A family source expressed a heartfelt plea for assistance in spreading awareness of their plight, hoping it might reach someone who could intervene.
They emphasized that Musa, a civil servant with the state primary healthcare board, and his wife, a magistrate with the Kaduna State Customary Court, do not have the funds to meet the ransom demands.
Despite the efforts of the Kaduna State Government, security agencies, and the Nigeria Medical and Bar Associations, the situation remains dire, with the kidnappers still demanding N298 million and threatening further violence.
The family humbly requests that this story be shared widely to raise awareness and possibly garner the help needed to secure the release of Dr. Musa’s wife and remaining three children.
The family, abducted from their residence, is still being held captive as the kidnappers continue to pressure for the payment.
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