John Shiklam in Kaduna
The two lecturers abducted six days ago by gunmen in Kaduna have reportedly escaped from captivity.
The two lecturers — Adamu Chonoko from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and his brother, Umar Chonoko from Kaduna Polytechnic — were said to have escaped on Sunday.
The lecturers, who are indigenes of Kebbi State, were abducted six days ago at Mahuta, Igabi Local Government Area of the Kaduna State.
Adamu was the first to be abducted by the gunmen, while Umar, who later went to deliver N2 million and a brand new motorcycle as ransom for the release of his brother, was also abducted after the bandits collected the money.
The gunmen later demanded an additional ransom of N10 million for the release of the two brothers.
The spokesman of the Kebbi Indigenes Association in Kaduna State, Garba Muhammad, who broke the news of the escape of the lecturers, said they returned home hale and hearty.
Muhammad said the lecturers escaped from captivity with the assistance of a security agency.
Confirming their escape in a statement on Sunday, Yakubu Sabo, spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, assured families and members of the public that the perpetrators of the crime will be apprehended and brought to justice.
“Today 17/11/2019, at about 11:51 am, the command received information from the family of the two kidnapped lecturers Adamu Chonoko from Ahmadu Bello University and Umar Chonoko from Kaduna Polytechnic that the duo have managed to escape from the den of their kidnappers.
“The Commissioner of Police Ali Aji Janga, while rejoicing with the families and friends of the victims, assures the families and members of the public that the perpetrators of this crime will be apprehended and brought to face justice.
“The police will not relent on the ongoing investigation to track down the perpetrators of this and other similar criminal incidents with a view to arrest and prosecute them in accordance with the laws of the land.
“The Command enjoins the good people of Kaduna State to continue to support the command in the current battle against criminality in the state,” Sabo said.
