Kidnapped member of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Bashir Muhammed will only regain his freedom after payment of N150 million, his abductors have said.
Muhammed, representing Nguroje constituency in the Sardauna Local Government Area of the state, was kidnapped on Wednesday in his home in the state capital, Jalingo.
Daily Trust reported that the abductors and the abductee’s family were still negotiating on his release.
The report further quoted the abducted lawmaker as pleading with the Taraba Assembly and the state government to meet his abductors’ demands so he would not be killed.
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The situation was said to have led the leadership of the Assembly to meet Governor Darius Ishaku.
However, neither the state government nor the lawmakers made details of the meeting public.
Although located in the North-East like Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, Taraba State had experienced relative calm.
However, increased criminal activity in recent times compelled the Taraba state government to place a ban on the use of motorcycles.
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Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Government has called for extensive research on the actual causes of armed banditry and kidnapping in the country, saying the focus must go beyond the farmer-herder relations and conflicts.
Mr Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, said at a two-day meeting with stakeholders on the Farmer-Herder Relations and Banditry, that such research will help in finding comprehensive and workable solutions to the menace.
The meeting was organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) on Friday in Kaduna.