A well-known Islamic scholar and zealous supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, Sheikh Ahmad Sulaiman has been kidnapped, with the perpetrators demanding a ransom of N300 million for his release.
Reports state that the prominent reciter of the Holy Quran was on his way back to his base in Kano, after attending a religious function in Kebbi State when he was abducted.
According to an audio clip obtained, the kidnappers are demanding for N300 million as ransom, before he can be released.
Also, the supposed ringleader of the abduction gang who spoke in Hausa alongside a close associate of the kidnapped Quranic reciter, stated that they were given directive by a prominent politician to kidnap and kill Sheikh Sulaiman, who was allegedly claimed to be a terrorist by their sponsor.
He said “However, after taking a close observation, we noticed that our victim has no semblance to a terrorist. We discovered that he is rather a God-fearing Muslim and very knowledgeable preacher. We also interrogated him, and he told us everything about himself.”
It was also gathered that Ahmad’s abductor, a Hausa-speaking gang leader with Fulani’s accent, stated their apathy in carrying out the murderous assignment, in the first instance when he was asked by his caller what should be offered for the speedy release of the Islamic teacher.
The gang leader said “But it will be unfair that we fritter the three hundred million naira the politician gave us without executing his work,” he said, adding that, “So, we are intending to give him back his money since we may not be able to do his bidding. And again, we will also express our displeasure to him for wrongly accusing the Sheikh to be an insurgent, when in reality, he wasn’t.
“But in the meantime, you (his people) should first raise the three hundred million we will return back to the politician. And then, you will also give us money for fueling the vehicle we used to convey him to Kebbi.
“But if you people cannot raise the money we demanded, we will not hesitate to eliminate Mallam, and collect the additional sum the politician promised us if we should kill him.”
It was also gathered that the abducted Sheikh had offered prayers for the re-election bid of President Buhari at some political rallies organised by All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party, in the build to the 2019 general elections.
