The kidnappers of Lawal Yakubu, the information and culture commissioner for Nasarawa State, have set a ransom demand of N100 million.
The Nigeria Police Force had already confirmed the kidnapping of Lawal at his home in Nasarawa Eggon.
This was stated in a press release given to journalists on Tuesday morning and signed by Police Public Relations Officer Nansel Ramhan.
The statement claims that around 8.45 pm on Monday, police officers on routine patrol in the Nasarawa Eggon local council area heard gunshots.
According to the report, police officers stormed the area after mobilising a combined detachment from the Police Mobile Force, the Anti-Kidnapping unit, military personnel, vigilantes, and local hunters.
“Upon arrival at the scene, it was discovered that unknown gunmen while shooting sporadically, invaded the residence of one Hon. Yakubu Lawal Addah, forcefully abducted him to an unknown destination,” the command said.
It added that a search and rescue operation had been activated to rescue the victim unhurt and apprehend the kidnappers.
However, a family source on Tuesday told the Nation that the kidnappers had made their demand known.
According to the report, the kidnappers, who called one of the family members of the Commissioner around 4.30 pm, vowed not to accept a ransom less than N100 million to release the victim.
“Actually, they called this evening at about 4:30 pm and demanded for N100m and when the family offered N3.5m, they switched off the phone that they are not serious and insisted that anything less than N100m, they should forget it.
“They dialled the number again and it was not reachable,” the source said.