An informant has been thwarting efforts to rescue the kidnapped Emir of Bungudu, His Royal Highness, Hassan Attahiru, in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Bandits had abducted the emir and scores of others along the Kaduna-Abuja highway on Tuesday, September 14, 2021.
A police officer was also killed during the attack, while four vehicles belonging to the monarch’s entourage were recovered from the scene of the incident.
Speaking on the challenges being faced by the emir’s family, a relation who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security reasons said, “The emir could have been released by now if not because of an informant who is relating with the bandits on the issue.”
According to him, the informant was relating to the bandits every action taken by the family of the kidnapped emir to raise the money for his release.
“That is the reason the bandits are increasing the ransom because they know every action we are taking through an informant who we believe is from our area.
The bandits had initially demanded N100m, but after negotiation, the amount was reduced to N20m which was raised by the family and paid immediately.
But to our surprise, the bandits told us that they had information that the Emir’s family members and his subjects could mobilise whatever amount necessary for his release.
“As such, they now insist that we must pay the initial amount of money demanded, that is, N100m, if we want the Emir to be released.
“Infact, the bandits even told us how we got the first N20m we gave them. So we are in a serious dilemma,” the source stated.
Efforts to reach the Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, did not succeed, as he was said to be in a meeting at the time of filing in this report.