Gunmen have abducted a Kaduna resident, Ahmed Abubakar Zakka, alongside his wife and infant daughter, demanding N300 million ransom for their safe release.
According to the PUNCH, the victims were abducted from their residence in Dan Bushiya area of Millennium City, Kaduna State, at about 11:00 pm on Monday. After the abduction, the kidnappers released a video on social media, where an unidentified gunman in the footage was seen threatening to execute Zakka. Speaking in Hausa, the father appealed to the public for financial intervention, pleading that his family has no means to raise the demanded sum.
The incident has drawn condemnation from prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and federal lawmaker Mohammed Bello El-Rufai.
Atiku Abubakar condemned the kidnap, and called on security agencies to act quickly to dismantle the criminal networks and secure the captives.
“No Nigerian should have to plead for their life or the safety of their family in the hands of criminals. The thought of an infant caught in this ordeal is especially heartbreaking. I urge the relevant security agencies to act swiftly and decisively to secure the safe release of Ahmed Zakka, his wife, their child, and every other Nigerian still held in captivity,” Atiku.
Similarly, the lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, charged the Kaduna State Government and the Nigeria Police Force to rescue the victims and to halt recurring attacks in the metropolis.
“We cannot allow kidnapping to become normalised in Kaduna, especially in the heart of our metropolis. The security of our people is non-negotiable. We must not surrender our communities to criminals or allow families to live at the mercy of kidnappers,” El-Rufai stated.
As at the time this report was published, the Kaduna State Police Command is yet to issue any official press statement regarding the incident, but preliminary investigations are ongoing to track the criminal syndicate and rescue the victims.
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