Their cries for mercy punctuated the footage as they appealed to the public and their families to raise ransom for their release.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

Suspected bandits have kidnapped a serving police officer attached to the Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State, alongside two other men, subjecting them to brutal beatings while forcing them to plead publicly for ransom.

The victims were identified as Inspector Kabiru Bello Adamu, a serving officer at the Police Academy, Wudil, Muntari, and Musa Rabiu (also known as Danladi), all from Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State.

In a disturbing video obtained by SaharaReporters, the three abductees were seen in visible distress as armed terrorists pointed guns at their heads, assaulted them with sticks and repeatedly struck them with AK-47 rifles.

Their cries for mercy punctuated the footage as they appealed to the public and their families to raise ransom for their release.

A source told SaharaReporters that the victims were abducted while travelling from Rijiya Zaki Motor Park in Kano State to Kebbi State.

“They were reportedly kidnapped on the way to Kebbi. The officer, Inspector Kabiru Bello, is a serving policeman with the Police Academy, Wudil,” the source said.

In the video, Inspector Kabiru Bello identified himself and narrated in Hausa how the incident occurred.

“My name is Kabiru Bello Adamu. I am a police officer working at the Police Academy, Wudil. Yesterday afternoon, I was travelling to Kebbi to visit my relatives and former colleagues I worked with years ago, to keep family ties,” he said.

“On the way, we encountered a calamity. We met armed bandits in the bush, and as of now, we are in their hands.”

The inspector, speaking under duress, appealed for mercy while invoking religious sentiments.

“We are asking Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala, to bring understanding between us and them. We have families and relatives. Let whatever happens be resolved peacefully,” he pleaded.

Another victim, Muntari, also appealed desperately for help.

“I am Muntari, from Kano, Tofa Local Government Area. Please, brothers and friends, help us in the situation we are in. For the sake of the Prophet, we have been afflicted. We are asking for mercy,” he said.

The third abductee, Musa Rabiu (Danladi), said they were travelling from Kano to Birnin Kebbi when they ran into the bandits.

“We came from the new motor park heading to Birnin Kebbi, and on our way Allah caused us to encounter a calamity; we met forest bandits,” he said.

At one point, Rabiu stated that the abductors were treating them “kindly,” prompting an angry response from one of the terrorists who questioned him sarcastically. Immediately after, the victims were beaten again with sticks and gun butts.

Amid the assault, the three men screamed repeatedly: “Forgive us! Forgive us, by Allah, please forgive us! Help us, for Allah’s sake, please help us.”

Meanwhile, the incident highlights the worsening insecurity across northern Nigeria, where travellers, including security personnel, are increasingly targeted by armed groups operating freely along major highways.

Despite repeated assurances by authorities, kidnappings for ransom continue unabated, leaving citizens at the mercy of bandits.

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from the police authorities regarding the abduction or efforts to rescue the victims.