By MUHAMMAD SABIU,. Kaduna

Bandits who abducted a policeman attached to a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State, Sagir Hashidu, who was killed on Abuja-Kaduna Road last Sunday have given the policeman’s family six hours to come up with a N200 million ransom.

A newspaper published in Hausa language in Kaduna, Muryar Yanci, reported on Friday that the policeman, Dambo Hosea, was among those abducted by the bandits on the fateful day.

The newspaper said: “The bandits demanded that his family gather N200 million quickly to secure his release.

When they called the policeman’s family on cell phone, they said they were leaving the location they were because there was no telecom service there; that they should pay the ransom quickly.

“The gunmen were annoyed when the family pleaded that they could only afford to pay N2 million. The gunmen expressed their anger and gave the family six hours deadline to pay the N200 million ransom.”

The newspaper claimed that its reporter who listened to the recorded phone conversation between the bandits and the policeman’s family said when they begged to pay N2 million, the bandits replied by saying “you shouldn’t say so because this is a big man in our custody. You are saying what is not possible.”

That the bandit who was talking to the policeman’s family said they were even lucky his colleagues did not hear their plea to pay N2 million, adding:

“The problem will escalate if you do not heed to our demand. If you ever mention N2 million again, we will either shoot him dead or slaughter him.”

The newspaper said: “When the gunmen allowed the policeman to speak with his family members. Hosea pleaded with them to help and pay the money in time because where they were was an uncomfortable location.”

Hosea was reported to have said: “We trekked a very long distance before we could get the telecom service to call you. Please, go to my friends if you cannot gather the money. Seek loan. I will pay back when I return.”

The police in the state could not be reached for comment as of press time. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Saturday Tribune)

Update news