Despite receiving N4.5 million ransom, kidnappers kill doctor’s son

Eleven days ago, while Rilwanu Sadiq, a doctor in Bauchi, was away at work, he got a call that his son, Abubakar Sadiq, 15, had been abducted by unknown assailants.

Mr Sadiq, who works at the Abubakar Tafawa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, told PREMIUM TIMES Sunday that his son was kidnapped “right in front of our house.”

His house is tucked along Gombe Road in Ningi local government of Bauchi town.

He said immediately he learnt about the kidnap, he jolted into action by informing the neighbourhood security outfit as well as the state police.

Afterwards, he said, details of the incident were obtained and the search for his son began.

When the abductors established contact with Mr Sadiq’s family, they demanded a ransom of ₦3 million.

“After they (kidnappers) contacted us, they agreed to collect ₦3 million,” a distraught Mr Sadiq narrated to PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone Sunday morning.

But having met that target, they kept asking for more, he said. Mr Sadiq said the kidnappers had been paid ₦4.5 million when he said not any more.

“We were giving them at intervals. They got ₦2 million hand-to-hand from me. The balance of ₦2.5 was paid into about five bank accounts,” he narrated.

“But they kept asking for more. That was when I said I can’t bear it anymore, not knowing that they will even kill my son.”

The corpse of Abubakar would later be exhumed from a shallow ditch inside an uncompleted building not far from their home.

Mr Sadiq said he believes that his son’s killers, based on his kidnap and where his body was buried, are well acquainted with his family.

The Bauchi State Police Command spokesperson, Kamal Datti, confirmed the abduction to PREMIUM TIMES, saying the remains of Abubakar Sadiq had been exhumed and buried Sunday.

“Two suspects have been arrested in relation to the death, and investigation is on,” Mr Datti said.

The Bauchi-Gombe road is arguably one of the most volatile areas in Bauchi metropolis, residents stay.

The murder of Abubakar Sadiq is coming after armed kidnappers also abducted Adamu Mohammed, an elder brother of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, at his residence located at Jaki Quarters of Bauchi metropolis, late March.

The abducted sibling, said to be close to the governor and allegedly involved in running affairs of the state, was later released about a fortnight later.