The Kebbi State Police Command has reported that suspected bandits kidnapped the State House of Assembly’s Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Muhammad Sama’ila-Bagudo, in Bagudo Local Government Area.
CSP Nafi’u Abubakar, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, confirmed this in a statement made on Saturday in Birnin, Kebbi.
According to Abubakar, the abduction took place on Friday night around 8:20 p.m., when a gang of armed men stormed Bagudo town and kidnapped the congressman shortly after he had completed the Isha’i prayer on his way home.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmed Idris, said he had just received the information when contacted by our correspondent.
The police official stated that the Command had quickly organized a joint force consisting of police tactical units, military personnel, and local vigilantes to pursue the abductors and ensure the Deputy Speaker’s safe rescue.
“The joint team is currently combing the bandits’ routes and nearby forests with a view to rescuing the lawmaker unhurt and arresting the perpetrators of the dastardly act,” Abubakar said.
He noted that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Sani, has underlined the command’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of all people.
“The CP has also appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to support the police and other security agencies to ensure peace and stability in the state,” the PPRO pleaded.
The abductors had yet to announce their demands, while the state government had not issued any formal statement on the incident or its latest developments.
