The Sokoto State Police Command has labelled as unconfirmed a N1 billion ransom allegedly demanded by kidnappers of a district head in Sokoto State, Isa Bawa, and his son (identify undisclosed).
Bawa, the district head of Gatawa, and his son have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen at Kwanan Maharba whereas they have been coming back from Sokoto final Saturday, Each day Belief studies.
When contacted on Monday, the command’s spokesman, Ahmad Rufai, informed our correspondent in a phone interview that the police have been unaware of the ransom demand.
Nonetheless, he confirmed that Bawa and his son have been kidnapped.
“I can solely verify the kidnapping of the district head and his son, however on the difficulty of ransom, the victims’ households don’t share ransom talks with the police. They all the time conceal it inside themselves.
“As I converse, we don’t have any official report on the difficulty of ransom however the kidnapping is confirmed. We’re making efforts to make sure to rescue him alongside his son,” Rufai mentioned.
In its studies, Each day Belief had said that kidnappers reportedly demanded N1bn for the discharge of Bawa and two different kin.
It said that in response to a dependable supply, the abductors informed the Secretary of the Sarkin Gobir Sabon Birni and demanded the N1bn ransom.
“However negotiation is ongoing as a result of there isn’t any method such quantity could be raised,” the supply informed Each day Belief.
Extra so, the Sole Administrator of Sabon Birni Native Authorities, Garba Kaba, mentioned, “All I do know is that the abductors referred to as and mentioned the district heads, his son and brother are with them and protected.”
The kidnapping was additionally confirmed by the lawmaker representing Sabon Birni South, Aminu Boza.
In March 2024, the command confirmed the kidnapping of 15 Islamic training pupils and a girl in Gidan Bakuso, a village within the Gada LG of the state.
Rufa’i confirmed the kidnapping to the Information Company of Nigeria in Sokoto, including that the invaders took benefit of the village’s distant location to perpetrate their evil acts.