Gunmen demand N20m for abducted Dutse varsity staff

Gunmen who abducted a staff of Federal University, Dutse (FUD), last Thursday, are demanding N20 million for his release.

Shehu Abdulhamid, a staff of the university’s clinic, who was reportedly travelling from Kano, in company of his colleagues, was kidnapped along Gaya-Dutse road.

Daily Trust gathered that the officer, alongside his colleagues, departed Kano at about 8 pm on the fateful day when they ran into a gang of armed men in military uniform on the outskirts of Gaya, a spot considered to be notorious for robbery.

The university’s spokesman, Abdullahi Yahaya Bello, who confirmed the development, however, said the staff was kidnapped while driving in his car. He said the kidnappers asked his friends to go with the vehicle and inform his family about the development.

He said the gunmen demanded N20 million ransom on the kidnapped officer, noting that after extensive negotiation they came down to N5.5 million.

He noted that the management has since reported the matter to the police.

However, the spokesman for the police command in Jigawa State, Abdul Jinjiri, declined comments, saying since the incident occurred in Kano, the Kano State Command was in the best position to speak on it.