- NMA expresses shock over the incident involving their member’s wife and sons
The Kaduna Customary Court judge, Janet Galadima, who was kidnapped nearly two weeks ago has been released but her three little sons are still being held.
Law & Society Magazine gathered that Her Worship who was released yesterday (Wednesday) is presently undergoing treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
It would be recalled that following her family’s inability to pay the N300million ransom demanded by their captors, her 14-year-old son who is also the eldest was shot dead by the kidnappers.
The five family members were kidnapped from their home in Kaduna State at a time Her Worship’s husband who is a medical doctor was on an official assignment.
Gloria Mabeiam Ballason, chief Executive Officer of the House of Justice, condemned the abduction and murder, expressing outrage over the kidnapping of Hon. Janet Galadima and her four children, as well as the brutal killing of her 14-year-old son.
According to Ballason, approximately fifteen abductors took the family hostage.
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.
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.
Likewise, Nyada Auta who is running for the office of Welfare Secretary in the upcoming elections of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) spoke against the horrendous act.
According to Auta: “The kidnapping of His Honor, Janet Galadima, a Customary Court judge in Kaduna State, about a week ago, is a heartbreaking tragedy that has left the entire legal profession in a state of profound sorrow…
“This horrific incident serves as a sobering reminder of the alarming deterioration of the security apparatus in our country, which has made the legal profession an endangered species. It is from a place of utter anguish that I condemn the kidnapping of our esteemed colleague and urgently call upon all security agencies to intervene immediately and ensure the unconditional release of Mrs. Janet Galadima and her remaining children…”
The police spokesperson in Kaduna has not yet responded to inquiries about the incident at the time of this report.
In the meantime, Shuaibu Joga, the PRO of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Kaduna State chapter in a statement, expressed shock over the incident involving their member, Musa Gimba Dutse, whose wife Janet Galadima 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.
