Envoy held after delivering ransom

KANO: An envoy who delivered a ransom payment for the release of more than 100 Nigerian children abducted in May had himself been kidnapped, the headteacher of their Islamic school said yesterday.

Northwest and central Nigeria are a hotbed of cattle thieves and kidnappers who raid villages, killing and abducting residents after looting and burning homes. On July 20, parents and school officials sent Kassim Tegina, 60, to deliver $73000 (R1.08million) to the kidnappers, but the bandits seized him after collecting the money.

“They were angry that the ransom was too small,” said Abubakar Alhassan, the headteacher of Salihu Tanko Islamic School.