A 13-year-old girl has died hours after regaining freedom from seven months of captivity following her abduction from Awon community in Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The girl was among 11 persons abducted during an attack on the community on April 21, 2026, which reportedly claimed two lives.

The President of the Kuturmi Unity Development Association (KUDA), Dr Joseph David Ariko, disclosed this in an interview with LEADERSHIP.

Ariko said one of the abducted victims, a woman, escaped from captivity about two months after the attack, leaving 10 others in the hands of their abductors.

He explained that seven of the remaining victims regained their freedom on November 3, 2026, after their families reportedly paid over ₦6 million and surrendered three motorcycles to secure their release.

According to him, the total value of the ransom and motorcycles was estimated at approximately ₦13 million.

Ariko said the 13-year-old girl died on the same day she was released while receiving medical attention at a hospital.

He added that the victims returned in the early hours of November 3, but the girl died while undergoing treatment.

The circumstances surrounding her death, including the medical cause, remain unclear as of the time of filing this report.