Police doubt N1bn ransom demand for kidnapped Sokoto chief, son

The Sokoto State Police Command has labelled as unconfirmed a N1 billion ransom allegedly demanded by kidnappers of a district head in Sokoto State, Isa Bawa, and his son (name undisclosed).

Bawa, the district head of Gatawa, and his son were abducted by unknown gunmen at Kwanan Maharba while they were returning from Sokoto last Saturday, Daily Trust reports.

When contacted on Monday, the command’s spokesman, Ahmad Rufai, told our correspondent in a telephone interview that the police were unaware of the ransom demand.

However, he confirmed that Bawa and his son were abducted.

“I can only confirm the abduction of the district head and his son, but on the issue of ransom, the victims’ families don’t share ransom talks with the police. They always conceal it within themselves.

“As I speak, we don’t have any official report on the issue of ransom but the kidnapping is confirmed. We are making efforts to ensure to rescue him alongside his son,” Rufai said.

In its reports, Daily Trust had stated that kidnappers reportedly demanded N1bn for the release of Bawa and two other relatives.

It stated that according to a reliable source, the kidnappers told the Secretary of the Sarkin Gobir Sabon Birni and demanded the N1bn ransom.

“But negotiation is ongoing because there is no way such amount can be raised,” the source told Daily Trust.

More so, the Sole Administrator of Sabon Birni Local Government, Garba Kaba, said, “All I know is that the abductors called and said the district heads, his son and brother are with them and safe.”

The abduction was also confirmed by the lawmaker representing Sabon Birni South, Aminu Boza.

In March 2024, the command confirmed the abduction of 15 Islamic education pupils and a woman in Gidan Bakuso, a village in the Gada LG of the state.

Rufa’i confirmed the abduction to the News Agency of Nigeria in Sokoto, adding that the invaders took advantage of the village’s remote location to perpetrate their evil acts.