By Correspondent in Minna
The Niger State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris has recalled his four days experience in the den of suspected armed bandits, describing it as ‘brothers’ who picked him from his house at Baban-tunga village in Tafa Local Government Area on Sunday.
The Commissioner, who spoke on Friday, shortly after he was received in Minna, the state capital by the Speaker, State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Bawa Wuse, further disclosed that though the kidnappers had no good intention for him and his family, God changed their hearts to show mercy on him by allowing him to go free.
“I give all glory to God. It is not our doing or capacity. It is God’s miracle. God has been so miraculous. They came with an intention that they get either collect N200 million ransom from me or my life but they left with no money and with my life intact,” he said.
The Commissioner added that though it wasn’t all rosy in his captor’s den,he was happy that no ransom was paid for his release said.
He said: “I went through lots of trials in their hands, lots of dehumanizing things but I give glory to God that I am alive and I am safe”.
“One thing I am proud of, I am proud to be part of this government, in fact, the first thing I did when I came out was to send a text to my Governor to thank him for having the strength of heart not to allow any state machinery to intervene before my release”.
“We took a decision in council that the Niger state government is averse to payment of ransom to bandits for any situation”, it was good that the state government or anyone concerned did not pay any sum of money to secure my release from captivity.
“They came with recordings where I made statements empasising this and reiterating it to them that as a government, in Niger state, we don’t pay ransom to bandits. I believe that we will succeed.”
The commissioner,who was visibly glad to be alive and out of the den said, “I thank the government for standing by that, they were able to protect the integrity of our government. For me, it turned out this way. We were struggling, myself and my brothers. I was there but I wasn’t thinking of myself”.
“I was thinking of the people and government of Niger state because I realized that if God should intervene and ensure that the government does not intervene in my affair. I prefer to lose my life than to take the government to the washers and we succeeded”.
“Apart from the beatings, I came out unscathed and without paying a dime.
“People will be surprised but I am a believer. When they captured me, what I did was to remember that God has promised to take us through trials and tribulations and that for those that are able to show resilience and withstand this, He promises us a lot”.
Idris hinted that trekking the long distance almost all through the night wasn’t that easy. “They took me on a hill. I saw kidnappers and bandits shedding tears, I held onto the leader and told him that I forgive them for all the humiliations they have taken me through”.
The Commissioner told journalists how his abductors began to shed tears and said they prayed that their meeting with him would bring about an end to their involvement in banditry.
“If the government had intervened in my case, I would have resigned because that means we would have been going back on our words,”he added.
Meanwhile, Niger State Police Command has attributed the safe rescue of Sani Idris to sustained pressure and trailing of the hoodlums by the joint security force comprising; the military, police and local vigilante groups who acted swiftly on hearing the news about his kidnap.
Statement signed by, DSP Wasiu A. Abiodun, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), for: Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command, however called on members of the public to always volunteer useful information and intelligence suggestions to enable the police promptly intervene and or be proactive in dealing with security situations in the state.
“It would be recalled that on 8/08/2021 at about 2345 hrs, the said victim was abducted by unknown gunmen in his residence at Babban-Tunga village, Tafa LGA of the state.
” Upon receipt of the information, the Command immediately mobilized a joint police, military, and vigilante team to the area for manhunt of the hoodlums with a view to rescue the victim, ”tge the Commissioner of Police said.
He said “As a result of sustained pressure and trailing of the hoodlums by the joint team, the victim was released by the abductors at about 21:30 hours and surfaced at Kofa dam area. He was later debriefed and immediately taken to a hospital for medical attention.”
