We’re verifying alleged abduction of 12 officers — NPF

The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday said that the reported abduction of 12 police officers on an official assignment by gunmen, is being verified.

The officers, who are of the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), were said to be on their way to Zamfara from Borno to conduct a special operation when the kidnappers waylaid them.

The kidnappers were said to have demanded a N10 million ransom.

But the Force Headquarters said that it is making efforts to verify the kidnap claim while the Borno State Police Command denied that any officer was missing from the command.

A BBC report said the abduction took place 12 days ago but came to light yesterday.

A wife of one of the kidnapped officers said she did not hear from her husband for three days and decided to seek further information from a police barracks in Borno where she learnt about the abduction.

She was quoted as saying that her husband later called and asked her to raise ransom money by selling their home.

“He called me on Wednesday and told me that he was in the hands of the kidnappers,” she said.

She stated that her husband told her that if she failed to raise at least N1 million, “there will be trouble.”

She added that a police officer subsequently called her to request that she should raise N800, 000 for his release.

“I can’t tell you that I have any other information. We are in a state of frustration,” she said.

But the Force Headquarters said it is verifying the kidnap claim.

“We are aware but we are trying to verify that the kidnap took place,” Deputy Force Public Relations Officer and Chief Superintendent of Police, Mr Aremu Adeniran, said.