•Battle for release of abducted district head in Buhari’s hometown continues …47 days after
•Police: we’ve made some arrests
AUGUSTINE OKEZIE examines rescue efforts made by security agencies since the Magajin Gari Daura, Alhaji Musa Umar, was abducted from his house by kidnappers 47 days ago. He also relays the reactions of family members and residents.
Residents of Daura, the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari, woke up on October 1 to the news of the abduction of Alhaji Musa Umar-Uba, a district head in the Katsina State community, from his residence. He has now spent 47 days in the den of the heartless kidnappers, who have neither made any contact with his family nor demanded any ransome for his release.
Efforts made by security agents to secure his release or even locate his whereabouts have failed in spite of directives from the Inspector General of Police to the Katsina State Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Buba, to relocate to Daura until the traditional ruler’s rescue is achieved.
Gloom has since descended on Daura as Katsina citizens continue to wonder whether the security agents are making any head way in their rescue efforts. The Magajin Garin Daura is still not back at home and there is no positive news about him after 47 days. Malam Mustapha Abdul Malik, a 47-year-old resident of Daura, told The Nation during a chat in Hausa language, that the town had only experienced the peace of the graveyard since the traditional ruler was abducted, adding that only the release of the District Head would restore genuine peace in the community.
He said: “If this can happen to a high-profile personality like the Magajin Garin Daura, then, the poor have no hope in this country. President Buhari should see this incident as a challenge to his authority. They just want to see what the President can do.
“The abducted Magajin is a retired Customs Controller and cousin of the Emir of Daura. He is married to Hajiya Bilki, a niece to President Muhammadu Buhari. The Magajin Garin is also the father to Hajia Fatima, who is married to Buhari’s Aide De Camp, Col. Mohammed Abubakar.”
“You can see his massive connections, yet 47 days after his abduction, security agents are yet to rescue him. I challenge the military, police and DSS to redeem their image by liberating Magajin Garin and hundreds of other Nigerians in the cells of bandits, Boko Haram and killer herdsmen.”
“So far, his abductors are yet to make any contact with his family. Security agents have also failed to locate him. Are these security agents really working to rescue him and bring his abductors to justice? I have my doubts.”
Manner of abduction
According to an account obtained from the police, the kidnappers, numbering six, had stormed the residence of the district head at about 19.10 hours on May 1 in an unregistered blue Peugeot 405, shooting sporadically into the air before abducting him while he sat on a bench in front of his residence, taking him to an unknown destination.
Gambo Isa, a Superintendent of Police and Police Public Relations Officer for Katsina State, broke the silence on rescue efforts by security agencies when he told the media on the second day after the kidnap that the agencies were on the trail of the kidnappers.
He said: “The abductors were confronted by the State Commissioner of Police, CP Sanusi Buba, along with police patrol teams from Kusada Division, who engaged them in a gun duel as a result of which one Inspector Muntari Maikudi attached to Kusada Division sustained a gunshot injury and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Katsina, for treatment.
“The IGP Tactical Squad, SARS teams, PMF and counter-terrorism units have already been dispatched to rescue the victim alive and return him safely to his family.
“The command enjoins members of the public to always assist the security agencies with timely and actionable intelligence on the activities of these bandits.
“You can rest assured that the command and indeed other security agencies are on their toes to bring to an end the activities of these bandits.
“The command commiserates with the families of the deceased persons and the entire peace loving people of Katsina State.
“It will do everything possible to bring perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice and bring to an end the activities of these rascals.”
When our correspondent met the police spokesman in the state for an update on the rescue efforts by the police, he denied the claims that the force had given up on the case, assuring that the state command would soon address the news media on the latest developments.
He said: “The case is still under investigation. All hands are on deck to ensure that the victim is rescued safely. Some arrests and recoveries have been made, but we don’t want to jeopardise our investigation.
“Our hearts are with his family, relations, friends and well wishers in these trying moments.
“We are not resting on our oars until we have succeeded in bringing him back alive to his family, insha Allah.”
Reactions from family members, Daura residents
Getting the reactions of family members of the abducted district head was like a camel passing through the eye of a needle. They claimed that there was an embargo from the police preventing them from speaking on the matter.
Some extended family members, who managed to speak, said the manner the Magajin Gari was abducted was quite different from others in that in other cases, the kidnappers usually get to the families of the victim within hours or few days to make their demands. But in this particular case, they have neither spoken to the family nor made any demand for ransome.
Dan Lawal Daura, Umar Umar Ata, who is also the younger brother of the Magajin Daura, said that family members were yet to hear anything from him since he was abducted.
He said: “We as a family have handed over everything to God and have continued in prayers for his safe return. It was traumatic throughout the Ramadan and Eid-el-Fitr celebrations because of the uncertainty of the moment.
“The Sallah festivities were low-keyed within the family. The immediate family had expected the long tradition the Magajin Gari is known for, like reaching out to the needy during Ramadan and few days to Sallah.
“In fact, there was no celebration at all. The whole period was sober.”
Mahmud Lawal, a witness and resident of Daura, said the people were still in shock several weeks after the Magajin Gari was kidnapped.
He said: “We are not happy here. The Magaji is a prominent personality who should not have stayed this long in the den of kidnappers.
“When they took him away, we all were not happy. But we had hoped that he would return the next day. It is more than four weeks and nothing has been done.
“He is a popular man and people are always around him. Now, they are all missing him. Nobody knows if he is alive or not because nobody is saying anything, including the security operatives. Maybe they (police) are being tactical.”
Mohammed Abdullahi, a Daura resident, said that prayer sessions were being held for the Magajin Gari’s safe return.
“There have been prayer sessions in Daura and even surrounding towns, begging God to intervene. But for us here, we are not happy at all,” he said.
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