Police not responsible for kidnapped ABU students rescue – Family

*president aide apologizes, pulls down post

Sadiq Ango, a family member to one of the three students of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria who were abducted on Monday, August 26, along Abuja-Kaduna highway has refuted police claims that its operatives have rescued three students.

Meanwhile, Bashir Ahmad, Special Adviser to the President on new media has apologised for sharing the story which credited the police for the rescue.

Ahmad who disclosed this on his official Twitter handle on Thursday, said, “I have taken down this tweet. Relatives and one of the victims confirmed that there was no police involvement in the process that led to their release. I got the information first from a major news source, minutes later some national papers carried it, too bad was trying to take credit. I apologize for sharing it,” he said.

He added that he has pulled down the post.

Daily Times recall that Ango who was reacting to a post by Ahmad claimed that the rescue was facilitated by the payment of ransom which took 48 hours to negotiate.

“Lies. It took us 48 long hours of negotiations with the kidnappers to secure the release of our sister to us, not the police. Ransom was paid in full as negotiated with the three families involved,” he tweeted.

The Kaduna State Police Command through the Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, had revealed that its operatives rescued three students of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

The police in a statement issued on Wednesday in Kaduna stated that three other persons were still being held by the kidnappers.

“The Command wishes to state that, on the said date, August 26, at about 18:50hrs, armed men in military uniform intercepted some commuters near Masari village along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, opened fire on the vehicles, in the process kidnapped six persons.

“Due to the prompt response of the Police and other security agents to the scene, three people were later released by the hoodlums due to intensive combing within the general area.”

The statement said the three students, alongside the abandoned vehicles at the scene of the incident, were moved to the Police Station.