Abuja-based lawyer Bala Dakum has recounted the tragic abduction and murder of his 85-year-old father, Deh Idi Dakum, in Matelem village, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. Despite paying a ransom, the elderly man was found dead just days after his abduction.
Describing the ordeal, Bala Dakum said: “My dad, Deh Idi Dakum, was the Galadima Nyam in Tangur, the district of Bokkos local government area in Plateau State. He was about 85 years old. On November 18, he was kidnapped at about 7:00 p.m. in our village, Matelem. His phone and that of my mother were taken away. Unknown to us that the abductors had killed him just about a kilometre away from the house that same day, my brother, Moses, kept calling his phone.”
Contact was first established with the kidnappers on November 19, and the family paid the ransom on November 20, hopeful that their patriarch would be returned. Before making the payment, the family requested proof of life, but the abductors claimed the elderly man was with another group of their gang.
“When my brother paid the ransom, they assured him they’d communicate to their gang, whom they claimed my dad was in their custody, to drop him close to the village. My brother left with the hope that my dad would return before daybreak but to no avail,” Bala Dakum recounted.
Despite multiple reassurances from the kidnappers, the elderly man did not return.
The abductors became increasingly hostile in subsequent communications, demanding additional money and accusing the family of underpaying.
“On the 23rd of November 2024, my brother called the abductors again, but this time, one of the abductors who spoke to him was hostile and asked my brother if he was taking him cheap. He said the ransom paid was inadequate and demanded more money,” Dakum explained.
However, the family, suspecting foul play, declined to pay further. Hours later, the grim truth emerged.
“Few hours later, at about 9:00 a.m., my dad’s dead body was found on a farm just about a kilometre away from the house where he was abducted. From the state of his body, he had been there for days,” he added.
The remains of the late Deh Idi Dakum were buried on November 23, 2024, in Matelem village, under the watchful eyes of community leaders, local government officials, and security personnel stationed nearby.
“His remains were buried immediately in the presence of the district head, Deh Sati Nder, the Bokkos LGA chairman, Hon Amalau, and members of the STF who are also stationed about a kilometre away from the house,” Dakum said.
This tragedy underscores the growing insecurity in parts of Nigeria, with citizens bearing the brunt of unchecked banditry and violence. The community and the Dakum family are demanding accountability and immediate action from authorities to prevent such incidents from recurring.
The heartbreaking story of Deh Idi Dakum serves as a grim reminder of the need for urgent measures to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians.
Source: NAN
