Kebbi Deputy Speaker.webp
The Digest:

Kebbi State Deputy Speaker Sama’ila Muhammed Bagudo has been heard in a voice message from captivity, urging colleagues to sell his vehicles to raise a N200 million ransom. This plea reveals the grim reality of kidnapping as a thriving enterprise in Nigeria’s insecure regions.

Key Points
  • Bagudo was abducted from his Bagudo residence on October 31.
  • In the audio clip, he confirmed N140 million had been raised toward the ransom.
  • He instructed a colleague to sell his four cars to meet the kidnappers’ demand.
  • An unconfirmed report states the abductors are demanding over N200 million.
  • A close ally expressed doubt about the audio’s authenticity.
  • The deputy speaker’s associates were surprised he communicated via clip rather than directly.
  • Kidnapping remains a pervasive threat to public officials and civilians in the Northwest
As officials themselves become targets, this incident underscores the collapse of security in many regions, where even lawmakers are forced to negotiate for their lives.

Sources: Leadership News