Gunmen abduct Bauchi politician, demand N100m ransom

Gunmen on Tuesday invaded the serenity of Boi, a village in Bogoro LGA of Bauchi State in the dead of the night and abducted a man popularly known as Hon Musa Markus Masoyi.

A resident of the village who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the gunmen went into the house of the victim while everyone was asleep and whisked him away to an unknown destination.

According to him, the victim was abducted along with his Elder brother who was later dropped and abandoned in the bush from where he was rescued by people and taken back home.
Before his abduction, Markus Masoyi actively participated in the just concluded PDP mobilization rally to drum up support for the party in the 2023 General elections.

The abductors were said to have contacted the family of the victim and demanded the sum of N100 million as ransom, though negotiations are still ongoing as of the time of this report, one week after.

Reacting to the development, the National President of the Boi Development Association, Rev. Philemon Kicheme described the incident as lamentable and sad.

According to him, “I am sad and heartbroken to receive a phone call about the abduction of our son by gunmen.”

He however assured that efforts have been intensified to secure his release any moment from now calling on security agencies to ensure that he was released unhurt and reunited with his family and community.

All efforts to get confirmation from the State Police Command proved abortive as the PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili neither picked up the phone when his number was called severally nor responded to SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to his phone number.

Another resident said that “The kidnapping of Mr Mulki Markus Masoyi JP by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in his house on Tuesday night, November 21, 2022, is a sad reminder of how fragile the security of our community has become”.

He said that “The kidnapping for whatever reason, should be frowned at by well-meaning citizens. This is a reminder to the government that kidnapping is on the increase on this side of the LGA.”

“This is one of the high-profile cases of kidnapping being recorded in Boi after the one involving Haj Khadijah sometime in February 2022. It is very worrisome, that of all the kidnappings witnessed in this part of the area, no single culprit has been arrested”, he added.

The Boi resident added that “We call on all security agencies to rise up against this ugly incident which if not immediately checked will affect the sweet existence of our people. We appeal to our people to pray and watch so that we will not enter into temptation again.”

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Gunmen kidnap Bauchi politician, demand N100m ransom