Bandits have released Shari’a Court judge, Babangida Hussaini, after spending about two months in captivity.
Babangida was abducted in his chambers at the Shari’a Court in Safana town on May 18, where he had gone to deliver judgement in a matter.
A close associate of the judge said, he was released on July 10, after the N1 million ransom was paid.
Before now, the abductors had demanded for N50 million which was later scaled down to N30 million, after series of negotiations.
The source however declined to state who, when and the manner in which the ransom was paid and delivered before the release of the judge, for security reasons.
Also Read: Bandits demand N30m on Shari’a Court Judge, school principal abducted in fresh attack in Katsina State
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Police Command insists that the judge was not released, rather, he escaped by himself from the abductors.
According to the Police, they had received information that the judge had escaped from bandits captivity and was in Kauran Zakka, but was not found after the Divisional Police Officer and his men went to the scene, only to discover that, he left in another car.
They further stressed that efforts will be intensified to reach out to the judge, to get some information on his abductors.
The police had earlier blamed Babangida, for not seeking security protection, even when he knew how vulnerable a man of his status was, as well as how he went to work during the nationwide strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN on the day he was abducted.
In another twist, the last is yet to be heard about the 70-year-old Catholic priest, Joseph Keke, who was abducted on May 18, where his 40-year-old colleague, Alphonsus Bello was killed, during gunmen attack, on the Saint Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, Malumfashi Local Government Area of the state.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
