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Olanrewaju Lawal
A Village Head of Tungar Malam in Suru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Alhaji Ibrahim Sarkin-Yaki, has regained his freedom, four days in captivity from kidnappers after paying N2 million ransom.
Daily Sun gathered that Tungar Malam is under the watch of Lamido Dakingari, Dakingari District of Gwandu Emirate, Kebbi State.
Speaking in an interview with Journalists at Tungar Malam village, Suru Local Government on Monday, Sarkin-Yaki, explained that the kidnappers well armed with AK 47 rifles stormed his house at about 12a.m. on Sunday, they started beating my wives.
According to him, “the kidnappers well armed with AK 47 rifles stormed his house at about 12a.m. on Sunday, a week ago, they started beating my wives. They woke me up and asked me to give them money, I told them to wait so that we can scout for the money, they said no, instead, they decided to take me away into Gwauron Dutsi bush close highway linking Dakingari and Bunza town.
“They were eight in number, each one of them held on to his rifle while many other rifles were inside a sack. We trekked for about five hours inside the bush.”
Sarkin-Yaki noted that he spent four days under the custody of the bandits without food, saying that they only used to drink water to survive.
“I spent four days in captivity without seeing food talk-less of eating, we only survived by drinking water.
“Before they took me to the bush, they discovered that I do not have a cell phone, so they kept a SIM card behind my house with a round piece of cloth and covered it with some leaves and my family members discovered the SIM card, picked it and inserted it in a cell phone and waited for a call.
“It was through that line the kidnappers communicated with my family, they demanded for N4 million ransom but my family members told them they were able to raise only N2 million in few days.
“They told my people where to carry the money to, on receipt of the N2 million, they discharged me but warned that the balance must be paid, if not they will still come back and pick me to claim the balance,” he said.
The village head said the kidnappers molested him, inflicted injuries on parts of his body, stressed that after he regained his freedom, he had to undergo medical treatment to be able to recover.
He confirmed that all of the kidnappers were youths who communicated in Fulfulde language fluently, indicating that they were Fulanis.
An eye witness, Alhaji Sa’adu Tungar-Malam said their Village Head was kidnapped at about 2:11a.m., saying that he came out of his house to render assistance but sporadic shooting by the bandits forced him back.
“I witnessed how they beat him and force him to go with them, I was sighting them up to the time I could no longer sight them anymore.
“As you can see us here, in the night, nobody knows where another sleeps, even my wives, I don’t know where they sleep, everybody is on his on to safe his life in the night.
“This has been the tradition every night. Therefore, we are appealing to government to come to our aid by providing security in the village, because we do not have power, we do not have money and we do not have anything to do,” he pleaded.
The Spokesman Kebbi State Police Command, DSP Nafi’u Abubakar who confirmed the incident also said that the police were doing everything possible to fish out the criminals and bring them to book.
He appealed to the general public to report any suspicious move to the appropriate authorities prior to its happening for proper immediate action.
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