Family, friends beg for govt’s assistance
Police neutralise two suspected terrorists in Katsina

Bandits, who abducted a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Kaduna State, have seized the man going to deliver N7 million ransom to secure the officer’s freedom.

Besides, the DPO’s friends and relations have raised the alarm that the terrorists threatened to kill the police officer if their demands were not met.

They said that despite paying N7 million, the terrorists have continued threatening to kill the DPO. They called on the government to help them to rescue their own, who is serving the country.

A member of the family, Musa Gyadi-Gyadi, told BBC Hausa Service, yesterday: “They first demanded N550 million. We told them we don’t have such amount of money. Our relations and good friends donated N5 million and gave the terrorists. After collecting the N5 million, they told us that the money was for feeding and that we should buy them N1 million recharge card and a Boxer motorcycle.

“We mobilised further N2 million and send to them. Now, the person who took the money was also held in their captivity.”

According to him, the DPO is still alive, but has been stooling blood, as he was left in the rain all through.

“They are chained. He is always begging us to try and get him freed. There is nothing we can do about it,” he said.

The police officer was abducted two weeks ago along the Kaduna – Birnin Gwari highway around 9:00a.m. on his way to assume duty at his new post.

Police spokesman in Kaduna, Mohammed Jalige, could not be reached for comments on the incident.

MEANWHILE, the Katsina State Police Command has killed two suspected terrorists during a gun battle at Juga Village, Kankia Local Council of the state.

The command stated, yesterday, that the terrorists had, on Sunday, kidnapped 60-year-old Ibrahim Tafashiya and were moving him into the forest when the police engaged them in gunfight.

Spokesperson for the command, Gambo Isah, added, in the statement, that the abductee was rescued unhurt while an operational motorcycle belonging to the terrorists was recovered.

The command had arrested one Abdulrazak Ajibade, 58, a suspected Indian hemp dealer, and recovered 185 parcels of the substance. Isah added: “About 2:30a.m., a call was received that 11 terrorists on motorcycles with AK-47 rifles attacked the residence of one Alh. Ibrahim Abdullahi Tafashiya, aged 60, of Kankia and abducted him.

“On receipt of the report, DPO Kankia, led a tactical unit to the area and blocked the hoodlums at Juga village. The team engaged the hoodlums into a fierce gun duel and successfully repelled them.”