Abducted Niger Commissioner Regains Freedom

Alhaji Muhammed Sani Idris

Alhaji Muhammed Sani Idris, the commissioner for information in Niger state, who was abducted by bandits has been freed.

 Recall that Idris was abducted on Monday morning, August 9, after gunmen broke into his residence at Babban-Tunga, a community off Abuja/Kaduna highway. They were said to have attacked his wife and baby before whisking him away.

Family sources have now confirmed that the commissioner has been released by his abductors.

 Daily Trust reported that one of the sources said the family sold some valuables to raise the ransom demanded by the bandits. The source also told the publication that he is unsure of how much was paid to secure his release, adding that the government did not contribute a dime.

Although marathon meetings were held over the commissioner’s abduction on Monday, Governor Sani Bello was said to have ruled out ransom option. A government source told the publication that the governor said his conscience would not allow him pay ransom for the cabinet member when pupils abducted from an Islamic school in Tegina have spent over two months in captivity.

Addressing some persons after regaining freedom, Idris was heard saying that his abductors told him they got information that the governor was releasing money to him every week. He also said he has forgiven those who abducted him.

“Allah has promised to test us… Those guys who kidnapped me, I have forgiven them. I don’t want anybody to curse them or say anything bad against them.

“They were crying when I left them. They said they regret kidnapping me. That they were contracted to kidnap me. They (kidnappers) were from Zamfara and the person who contracted them told them that the Governor gives me over 200 million naira monthly.

 “They said the person told them that if I gave them less than N200 million, they shouldn’t release me.”