Haiti kidnappers demand $17m dollar as ransom for US and Canadian missionaries dem kidnap

One gang wey kidnap a group of missionaries from di US and Canada for Haiti on Saturday dey demand $1m (£725,000) as ransom for each of di 17 pipo dem gbab.

Haitian Justice Minister give di informate to di Wall Street Journal.

Di gang wey dey known as "400 Mazowo" dey notorious for kidnapping groups of pipo for ransom.

Dem bin kidnap a group of Catholic clergy for April. Dem later release di clergy but e no dey clear if dem pay ransom.

Who be di victims?

All di pipo dem kidnap na US citizens, except one wey be Canadian national.

Among dos dem gbab na five men, seven women and five children.

Di youngest child dey reported to be only two years.

Dem bin dey work for Christian Aids Ministries, one non-profit making missionary wey dey based for di US state of Ohio, wey dey supply Haitian children wit shelter, food and clothing.

How dem kidnap dem?

Di missionaries bin dey return from visit to one orphanage wen di kidnappers seize di bus dem dey travel wit on top main road for Ganthier town, wey dey di east of di capital, Port-au-Prince.

Ganthier dey located for Croix-des-Bouquers area wey dey controlled by di 400 Mazowo gang.

Seizing of vehicles and to collect ransom of pipo wey dey inside di motor na one of di ways di 400 Mazowo gang take dey make money.

Di Washington Post say one of dos dem kidnap bin post a Whatsapp message dey call for help.

"Please pray for us!! Dem don hold us hostage, dem kidnap our driver. Pray pray pray. We no sabi where dem dey carry us go," E tok.

Wetin be di reaction?

Di White House on Monday tok say di US Department of State plus di FBI dey assist Haitian authorities wit di case.

One former field director for Christian Aid Ministries for Haiti tell CNN say di kidnappers don already make contact wit di missionary organisation.

Adam Ki zinger, one Republican congressman from Illinois, tell CNN say e believe di US go negotiate wit di kidnappers, but make dem no pay ransom.

"We need to track down where dem dey and see if negotiations - without paying ransom - dey possible," e tok. "Or do whatever we need to do, on a military front or police front."

For Haiti, local unions don stage walkout on Monday to protest di rising levels of crime.

Di strike lead to di close down of business for Port-au-Prince and oda cities, as public transportation employees stay for house. Dem set up barricades for some areas to prevent workers from crossing picket lines.

How cases of kidnap dey rise for Haiti?

Haiti get one of di highest kidnapping rates for di world.

Dis year own dey bad as more dan 600 kidnappings dey recorded for di first three quarters of 2021, compared wit 231 over di same period last year, according to one local civil society group.

Di Catholic Church bin previously describe di situation as "a descent into hell", as di gangs dey take pipo from all walks of life, both local and foreign.

Di kontri dey further thrown into chaos by di assassination of President Jovenel Moïse for July, as rival factions fight to gain control of di kontri for di face of a struggling police force.