Niger Commissioner for Information, Idris
Abducted Niger State commissioner freed
Niger State Commissioner for information, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris who was abducted from his home on Monday, has been freed, according to his Special Assistant Mallam Ilya Garba.
Garba who confirmed his Principal’s release, added that the development happened on Thursday by 8:00 pm.
According to Garba, no ransom was paid for the release of the Commissioner, adding that Idris has since reunited with his family after receiving medical attention.
The Commissioner in a WhatsApp visual after his release thanked the Almighty for regaining his freedom adding that he has forgiven his abductors.
”As a Muslim, prayer is the best shield against evil. Allah has a way of testing the faith of believers. My abductors regretted their cruel action and I have forgiven them. I urged you to forgive them too.”
It would be recalled that Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Niger, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, had confirmed the abduction of the Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Muhammed Sanni Idris, Monday.
According the SSG, the commissioner was abducted from his home in the early hours of Monday, at about 1am.
The commissioner was kidnapped from his home town Baban Tunga in Tafa local government area of the state, the SSG further disclosed, adding further that security personnel are already on the trail of his abductors, as he expressed the hope that they would be able to trace and rescue the commissioner unhurt.
“He was kidnapped in the early hours of today around 1am at Baban tunga in Tafa local government. Security are already on the trail of the kidnappers, we hope they would discover him soon and rescue him unharmed,” he said.
Niger State has been under siege by bandits who wreaked havoc on residents of the state, abducting students from their school premises as well as road travellers for ransom. In some cases, the hapless victims have been killed. The state’s residents account for nearly 60 per cent per cent of internally displaced northern residents I the North West region of the country.
The state government is still faced with the challenge of releasing over 130 Tegina Islamiya pupils kidnapped in Rafi Local government area of the state yet to regain freedom months after abduction.
