More facts have emerged on how some yet to be identified gunmen abducted the Head of Department, Computer Engineering, Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, Engr. Bello Atiku.
The gunmen had on Saturday night invaded the staff quarters of the institution with Atiku and two children of his neighbour, Sanusi Hassan abducted.
The Public Relations Officer of the school, Abdallah Shehu who confirmed the incident, said Hassan was shot in the hand and is currently receiving medical attention.
Speaking with our correspondent, Engr. Atiku’s wife, Khadija Suleiman said her husband had returned home after 8 pm and put on the generator.
“He then spent a few minutes speaking on the phone with one of his bosses,” she said.
Khadija explained that soon after the phone call, her husband ate and both of them settled for a relaxing evening on the TV when she heard someone banged on their door.
“At that time, I asked him if he had locked the door with the key when he came in and he said no. So I told him to check the door perhaps one of our neighbours wanted something; that was a few minutes to 9 pm.”
She said unknown to both of them, the gunmen had already invaded their compound, leveraging on the sound of the generator.
“I heard my husband scream and he came back into the house saying Innalillahi Wa Inna Ilaihi Rajiun (from Allah we came and to Him we shall return) while two men with guns trailed him.
“They came to the sitting room and told us to lie on the floor. They took our phones but left the laptop. One of them asked for money and I told them we don’t have money and so he slapped me. But the other man told him to leave me alone. They now asked my husband to wear his shoes and they left with him,” she said.
Not the first time
Khadija explained that a similar incident had occurred within the quarters about two years ago when a woman was abducted.
She said she never thought they will be victims of kidnapping also. Daily Trust reports that the school is exposed to security challenges because it lacked a perimeter fence.
The Rector, Engr. Muhammad Kabir Abdullahi told our correspondent that a security meeting had taken place to find a lasting solution to their predicament including how to fence the school.
“We have had security meetings and we have now stationed mobile policemen to guard hostels and staff quarters and more are being deployed. We have met with the students to calm them and assure them that their security is a top priority but we will not be closing the school,” he said.
Kaduna police spokesman, Jalige said they were on top of the situation as the entire area had been combed while efforts were ongoing to rescue the victims.
There has been a resurgence of kidnapping in the Northern part of Nigeria as hundreds of people have been reportedly killed while families of those kidnapped had to pay ransom to free their loved ones.
