Suspected Bandits Kidnap Customs Officer in Zamfara, Demand N10m Ransom

By Paul Michael, Defence Editor, Abuja

Gunmen suspected to be bandits have abducted the Regional Accountant of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) in charge of Kano and Jigawa State, Mahassan Lawal.

Lawal, who was whisked away by a large number of gunmen, was kidnapped late on Friday night in his country home of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

A younger brother to the victim, Umar Lawal, who spoke to told newsmen, said that the abductors have contacted the family and demanded N10 million as ransom.

He said as of 12:00 pm on Saturday, they had negotiated for the release of the abductee at N3 million but the bandits insisted on N10 million as the last option.

Lawal further said that as of 1:00 pm, the gunmen had turned off their mobile phones and the negotiation was off since they could not be reached for further dialogue.

“They demanded N10 million and we tried to negotiate it to N3b million but the bandits insisted on the N10 million. So, after we told them N3 million, they switched off the phone. That was on Saturday.

“They called again yesterday and insisted on the same N10 million,” Lawal explained.

Police authorities in the state are yet to comment on the incident as the state police spokesman, SP Muhammed Shehu, was unavailable to take calls when reached.

Tsafe local government in Zamfara State has been experiencing the resurgence of banditry recently which necessitated the state government to ban operations of motorcycles from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am as part of measures to address insecurity affecting the area.

The town is the hometown of the State Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mamman Tsafe, and is about 41 kilometers from the state capital, Gusau.