Auwal Sani
The state has not been without its own share of criminal activities but kidnapping of residents for ransom was not one of them. So, when it entered the mix mid 2020, people were left stunned.
Here are five exploits by daring kidnappers that placed Kano on the map of states where people get taken for money.
1. Danbatta lawmaker’s daughter
At about the time residents of neighbouring Katsina State were cringing from the fear of marauding kidnappers who have held a vice grip on the state, gunmen in July forced their way into the residence of the legislator representing Danbatta Constituency in the state assembly and took away his daughter, Juwairiyya, 17.
The victim, a secondary school student at Government Girls Secondary School, Jogana, Kano, was later freed after ransom was reportedly paid to her abductors.
2. Mother of AA Rano’s PA
Residents of the commercial city woke up to the shocking news of the kidnap of the mother of AA Rano’s personal assistant from her residence in Rano town, the headquarters of Rano emirate early October.
The mother was picked after gunmen riding about 40 motorcycles stormed the community firing in the air.
The kidnappers reportedly asked for N50million ransom to set the elderly mother free but Dateline Nigeria gathered that she was released after the payment of N5million.
It was also gathered that many residents of the community who allegedly connived with the kidnappers to carry out the attack were arrested by the police.
3. Brother of Minister of Agric, Nanono
In late November, bandits invaded Tofa village in Gabasawa Local Government and kidnapped Babawuro Nanono, the younger brother of Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture.
They whisked the victim away at about 1am, the minister’s PA, Umar Wali, told journalists.
Babawuro was the acting district head of Tofai during the attack. He is holding the position for his minister brother.
He was later released.
4. Nursing mother, baby taken in Falgore
Just as residents were hoping that they have seen the end of it all with the year coming to an end, gunmen on December 21, stormed the residence of one Yusuf Falgore in Falgore town in Rogo Local Government and abducted a nursing mother and her baby.
The attackers also shot and killed a vigilante member who was part of a security team that confronted them after the abduction.
Although the state police command said it had launched an investigation to free the victims, it is not yet clear if they have been rescued ass there was no update on the case from the police at the time of filing this report.
5. Businessman abducted in Minjibir
As the state was reeling from the shock of the abduction of a nursing mother and her baby, another gang of gunmen around 2am on Wednesday raided Minjibir town in Minjibir Local Government and kidnapped a businessman, Abdullahi Kalos.
The spokesperson of the local government said the gunmen exchanged gunfire with the police before they overpowered them and burnt a police patrol vehicle.
Police in the state said they were going after the kidnappers.
