Unknown gunmen who kidnapped the Secretary to the Kaduna State Government [SSG] Mr. Waje Yayok at his country home on Monday night yesterday demanded that N40 million be paid as ransom for his release. Shock and anxiety enveloped the state capital yesterday when news filtered in of the SSG’s kidnap. It was the highest profile kidnap case in the state since the abduction last April of visiting Canadian Rotarian Mrs. Julie Ann Mulligan, who was later freed by security agents.
Yayok was kidnapped at his home town, Manchok, in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where he had gone for the Sallah break. A member of the Yayok family, Danmasanin Manchock Malam Shehu Abui confirmed that the SSG was kidnapped on Monday night. Abui, a former Editor-in-Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria [NAN], also said his kidnappers were seeking a N40 million payment.
The Kaduna State Government however denied that Yayok was kidnapped, saying he was undertaking a “special assignment in southern parts of the state.”
Early evening yesterday, our reporter managed to place a call through to the SSG’s telephone. It was answered by a man who said he was Yayok. Our reporter then began to speak in Hausa, and the man said he could not speak Hausa. When our reporter insisted that Yayok speaks Hausa fluently, the man then said, “He has been kidnapped. He is here with us. Who are you?” When our reporter asked him where he was holding the SSG, he said, “Somewhere in Nigeria. We are demanding N50 million as ransom. How can you help him?” Our reporter insisted on speaking to Yayok and gave his name as Kenneth, saying he was the SSG’s brother. The man could then be heard in the phone shouting, “Yayok! Do you have a brother called Kenneth?” The SSG was heard hesitating, so the man switched off the phone.
A family member had earlier told Daily Trust that the SSG left his house at Manchok on Monday night and did not return, but that the family did not raise any alarm because they thought he had gone either to his house at Barnawa, Kaduna or to the Government House.
However, he said, when Yayok did not surface yesterday, the family raised an alarm. Later in the day, he also said, a call came through from the SSG’s telephone number, and one of the kidnapers demanded N40 million from the family in order to secure the SSG’s release.
A different account of the incident was however given by the SSG’s daughter, who declined to mention her name. She said her father left home around 8pm in order to distribute invitation cards for her wedding ceremony which comes up next month and up till yesterday, he did not return home. Yet another family source claimed that the SSG went to Kenfeli Hotel, which is located around his Barnawa neighborhood, in order to unwind. On his way home, he said, some thugs accosted him and demanded for N2 million, but Yayok refused to accede to their request, and that they promptly abducted him.
Special Adviser to Governor Namadi Sambo on Media and Public Affairs Malam Umar Sani however denied the kidnap story, saying the SSG was “on an official assignment to the southern part of the state.”
According to Sani, “We have been inundated with inquiries as to the whereabouts of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Kaduna State Mr. Waje Yayok over a case of abduction. To put the records straight, while it is true that the SSG was on official assignment to the southern part of Kaduna, we are yet to get in contact with him over his supposed location. We believe he will get in contact with us soon.”
“However, the gravity and intensity of the rumours require us to take steps to ensure that everything is in order. Security agencies have been detailed to the place, the nature of the assignment and all his contact details, to enable them trace his whereabouts and douse the tension created by such rumors,” he added.
The governor’s aide further said government will give an elaborate briefing today (Wednesday) when the situation becomes clearer, adding that “in line with the internationally accepted standards, a person cannot be declared missing until after 48 hours.”
Kaduna State commissioner of police Alhaji Tambari Yabo Muhammad however said the police are aware of the case but that they are yet to ascertain if the case is that of kidnapping or a missing person.
He told Daily Trust on phone, “We are still gathering information on it. as soon as we finish our investigations, we are going to let you know. As I’m talking to you now, we are on our way from his house.”
When our reporters visited the SSG’s residence at Barnawa in Kaduna South local government area, top government functionaries were seen sympathizing with his family. A commissioner who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity described the incident as unfortunate.
Also yesterday, Force Public Relations Officer ACP Emmanuel Ojukwu confirmed the abduction of the Kaduna State SSG by unknown gunmen. He said the police have begun tracing the kidnappers and where the SSG was hidden so they could rescue him. The police are working in conjunction with other security agencies, he said. “We are working around the clock and partnering with all sister agencies and stakeholders to rescue him,” he said.