Abducted Kaduna Monarch Regains Freedom

Emir of Kajuru, Alhaji Alhassan Adamu, who was abducted on Saturday, July, 10, 2021 has been released from captivity, hours after abductors demanded a N200 million ransom.

Alhaji Musa Alhassan Adamu, the emir’s eldest son, confirmed the development to BBC Hausa on Monday, July 12, 2021.

According to the younger Adamu, the monarch walked into the palace while family and chiefs were sitting at home, agonising about his abduction.

HumAngle reported that the 85-year-old monarch and 13 members of his family were kidnapped in a late-night attack on his residence in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria on Saturday, July 10, 2021.

The terrorists had reached out, demanding N200 million as their terms for the release of the Emir and the 13 royal family members, a statement by Dahiru Abubakar, the spokesman of the Kajuru Emirate Council said earlier on  Monday.

It was not immediately clear whether or not the ransom was paid as an official statement on the monarch’s release was yet to be released as of press time.

Mohammed Jalige, police spokesperson in the state, did not return calls seeking for details about the emir’s release.

Meanwhile, the younger Adamu said that the other 13 abductees along with the king had not been released.

He added that his father was in good health and was up for a medical check-up after his ordeal.

The monarch was abducted a day after  holding a meeting on Friday to address security concerns in his province.

 The incident comes a few days a week after the abduction of more than 100 students from Bethel Baptist Secondary School in Chukun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

A week before that, terrorists had abducted a number of people, including infants and nurses from a leprosy clinic in Zaria, still in Kaduna State.

Kaduna has become the hotbed of abductions and attacks by terrorists called locally as bandits who camp in the Rana Forest straddling the Northwest and North-central.

In an April report by the state Ministry of Defense and Home Affairs, 323 people were killed by the terrorists with 949 people kidnapped in the state between  Jan. 1 to March 31, 2021.

Nasir El-rufai. Governor of the state who has come under criticism for not addressing the security, has repeatedly said he will not negotiate with the terrorists, saying his administration’s mandate is to eliminate them.