Gunmen kidnap Hirse, former minister, in Kaduna

THERE was an exchange of  gunfire at Dan Amar Road, Unguwar Rimi G.R.A. Kaduna, on Sunday, as gunmen invaded the street where Mamman Daura, President Muhammadu Buhari’s uncle lives and kidnapped a former minister, Bagudu Hirse.

According to reports, the former minister, in company of a friend, had gone to pay condolence visit to the family of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, on Kabiru Road, few metres away from Inuwa Wada Road and was said to have stopped over at the house of Daura, who was at home receiving guests and other family members.

Eyewitness said he had got out of his car and was exchanging pleasantries with some guests who were standing in front of the house, when three men inside an ash coloured Toyota Corolla car stopped, jumped down from the car and whisked the former minister away almost immediately.

“From what I could hear, they were asking him to get into their car but he was trying to seek further explanations from them but at that time, people started approaching the scene so one of them raised the gun he was holding and made to shoot but it did not fire, he tried it the second time and it failed but the third time, a shot rang and people ran for dear lives,” the source said.

The spokesman for the Kaduna Police command, Aliyu Usman, who confirmed the incident, said a team of detectives had been deployed across the state to ensure safe and unconditional release of the former minister from his abductors.

However, when the Nigerian Tribune visited the area, security had been beefed up as stern looking police men were seen checking vehicles passing.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Tribune gathered that the abductors are yet to get in touch with the family in Jos Plateau State.
Sources close to the family of Ambassador Hirse in Rayffield, Jos, told Nigerian Tribune that the phone, at a point was ringing but later switched off, adding that the abductors are yet to get in touch with the family or ask for ransom.