An Assistant Commissioner of Police who was abducted on Wednesday has been freed by his captors, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.
Emmanuel Adeniyi, serving in Zamfara State, was kidnapped alongside
his family members and aides along Birnin-Gwari-Funtua Highway in Kaduna
State.
His release Saturday night was confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES by Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, Shaba Alkali.
“I can confirm to you that my assistant has been released with others
who were kidnapped with him,” Mr. Alkali told PREMIUM TIMES by
telephone.
It is not immediately clear under what terms the police chief and
others were released by their abductors. Mr. Alkali credited
“intelligence efforts” of the police for the development.
Kidnapping activities have become rife around Kaduna State in recent
years, despite efforts by authorities to curb the potentially deadly
menace.
Within the past year, high-profile kidnappings —which involved a top Sierra-Leonian diplomat, a former Nigerian minister, a serving federal lawmaker and an Army colonel —have been carried out by the dreaded thugs along the route.
In July, the police deployed several teams to secure
strategic sections of the Abuja-Kaduna Highway, a measure that yielded
an immediate arrest of 32 criminal suspects.