Kidnap Of UBEC Chairman, Daughter Is Tragic – Shehu Sani

Senator Shehu Sani (file)

Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central has described the kidnap of the Chairman of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Mohammad Abubakar and his daughter by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers along the Kaduna-Abuja highway as tragic and unfortunate.

The gunmen who were dressed in military uniform intercepted two vehicles including a sports utility vehicle belonging to the UBEC chairman around Kurmin Kare village along the highway at about 3:30 pm on Monday, shot the driver dead, and later abducted the UBEC chairman and his daughter to an unknown destination.

Sani in a Facebook post on Monday urged the security agencies to intensify efforts to secure their release.

“The reported kidnapping of Dr Muhammad Abubakar Mahmud and his daughter and the killing of his driver along Abuja Kaduna road today is tragic and unfortunate.

“I call on the security agencies to jointly intensify efforts to secure their freedom. My heart goes to the victims and their families. May the soul of the deceased Rest in Peace.”

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdurahman, confirmed the incident in a statement and said that a combined team of Police Mobile Force, Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command, Special Forces and Operation Yaki have been mobilized to the area with a view to combing the bush for possible rescue of the victims and arresting the criminals.

The Kaduna-Abuja highway has been under recent attacks by bandits, which made the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, launch a robust security action plan tagged ‘Operation Puff Adder’ on Friday, April 5, 2019.

The aim was to tackle kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway.

The operation covers the Kaduna-Abuja highway and adjoining communities extending to Kogi, Katsina, Niger and Zamfara states.

The force recently combed the bush along Kaduna-Abuja highway in search of the armed bandits terrorizing unsuspecting commuters on the road.

Despite the move by the security agencies, most travellers took to the Abuja and Kaduna rail stations to avoid life-threatening experiences on the expressway.