Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Alhaji Mohammed Mahmood, who was kidnapped alongside his daughter, Yasmin, by unidentified gunmen along the Kaduna-Abuja express-way yesterday, Monday, have been released after the family raised the sum of N13 million ransom for the kidnappers.Information reaching us indicated that the chairman and his daughter were freed by their captors today, Tuesday, following his directive to the family members through audio recording that they should quickly raise the fund before it was too late as he was given one hour to get the fund.
The audio recording was done through phone conversation between Alhaji Mahmood and his relation called Saleh, yesterday, Monday night.
In the recording, Alhaji Mahmood said: “Saleh, please be hurry, time is not on our side. It would take some time before we decide on the collection point, and we have planned to resolve this issue within one hour. Let them go anywhere and get the money within one hour.”
But Saleh responded that they were able to raised N13 million and if the kidnappers demanded the money in Dollars, they would have given the ransom money to them.
Saleh said: “We are on it and we were able to raised N13 million. The challenge we are having now is night and somebody told me if it would reach in the morning, he would give us N50 million and if they demanded the money in dollars, we would give them this night.”
The UBEC Chairman then said that the kidnappers were taking good care of them even though his daughter was wounded on her leg during the operation.
He said: “I understand, but if you can get it (money), then go and get it anywhere. We don’t want it to pass one hour, these people are taking good care of us, Yasmin was wounded on her leg, but they are assisting her. Please go anywhere and get the money.”
Alhaji Mahmood was abducted alongside his daughter while travelling from Kaduna to Abuja yesterday, Monday. During the incident that took place around Katari village, his driver was shot dead.
