27th March, 2015
The police in Zamfara have denied any payment to the gunmen that abducted the Emir of Bukkuyum, Alhaji Muhammad Usman, from his palace on March 20.
The police was reacting to speculations that N10 million was paid to the abductors before they released the emir.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, Sanusi Amiru (DSP), told NAN in Gusau on Friday that “as far as we know, no ransom was paid to the abductors before they released the emir.
“If you say a ransom was paid, then you should be able to say how much it was, from which source it was drawn and how it was paid to the criminals.”
He said the emir was found at Gadar Zaima village which borders Zamfara and Kebbi states through Bukkuyum Local Government Area.
According to him, the emir, Alhaji Muhammad Usman, now in his 60s and had served on the throne for 14 years, returned in good health and since reunited with his family and subjects.
The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, denied any monetary transaction towards the return of the emir.
He said “the emir was dropped at Gadan Zaima by his abductors and he brought himself home.”
NAN recalls that the emir was kidnapped from his palace at gunpoint after which security agents, supported by the State Government, commenced search to rescue him before his emergence on Wednesday.
The police maintained that his abductors would be fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law.