Gunmen kidnap ACP & family members, demand N30m ransom

Gunmen terrorising Birnin-Gwari-Funtua Road, Kaduna State, have abducted an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adeniyi, and three of his family members.

Adeniyi is the Officer-in-Charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Zamfara State Police Command.

PUNCH learnt that Adeniyi and his family were travelling back to Zamfara from Kaduna on Wednesday when the gun-trotting men flagged down their Toyota Hilux. The gang reportedly dragged them from the vehicle and whisked them away in another vehicle.

The identities of the family members had yet to be ascertained.
We learnt on Thursday from a Police source that the kidnappers had communicated with their relatives, demanding N30m ransom for their release.
Apart from the ACP and his family, it was learnt that a police officer and three others on a bus were abducted the same day on the road.

It was gathered that several police units, including the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Unit and Anti-Kidnapping unit, had been deployed to rescue the victims. A source disclosed that the Toyota Hilux had been recovered by the police, adding that the kidnappers were criminals dislodged from Niger State.

“The ACP was returning to his duty post in Gusau, Zamfara State, on Wednesday with his family members when the gunmen struck along the Birnin-Gwari-Funtua Road and whisked them away. He is the OC, SCIID of the state police command. Only the vehicle has been recovered.

“Another police officer was abducted with three others while travelling in a bus to Birnin Gwari on Wednesday. A police patrol team got information that some travellers on the bus had been abducted, they chased the kidnappers, but I do not know whether the victims have been rescued or not.

“A popular businessman from Birnin Gwari, known as Danhaza, and his driver were also abducted three days ago while travelling on the same road to Kaduna,” the source said. The officer said the Force had got some leads on the abductors, noting that the victims would soon be freed.

The source said, “The police have information on the abductors, but I can’t tell you much for now so as not to jeopardise rescue operation. They are criminals we dislodged from Niger State. They are demanding about N30m ransom, but I can assure you that we will rescue the ACP and his family safely.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kaduna and Zamfara states Police Public Relations Officers, Muktar Aliyu, and Shehu Muhammad, could not be reached for comments as their phones indicated that the lines were not available.

Meanwhile, some gunmen have also abducted a Catholic priest in the Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.