Kidnapped Adamawa United FC driver regains freedom

The driver of Adamawa United Football Club, Kabiru Mohammed, who was kidnapped in the early hours of last Saturday, has regained his freedom.

It was gathered that Kabiru was set free Wednesday night.

The driver was kidnapped along Benin-Ore-Lagos road when the bus in which he was driving the players and officials of the football club was attacked by gunmen who swooped on them from the bush.

The football team were on their way to keep a date with MFM Football Club in Lagos on a week 11 NPFL fixture.

Permanent Secretary of the Adamawa State Ministry of Youths and Sports, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar Jada, who disclosed the team driver’s release, said the driver was in sound mind when he spoke with him on phone.

“I spoke with him, he was very coherent, he is on his way back now,” the sports ministry permanent secretary said.

Aliyu Jada who had been in contact with the kidnappers apparently discussing ransom terms, added that the driver was released after a ransom was paid, but he did not disclose the ransom amount.

It could be recalled that the ransom had been mentioned in contradicting sums since the kidnap of the Adamawa United FC driver.

While it first got out that the kidnappers were demanding N20 million, reports suddenly began to quote N50 million. Subsequently, it was said that the demand had gone down to N40 million, until a report just Wednesday indicated that it had dropped drastically to N1 million.

Jada expressed gratitude to the media for the publicity that the attack on his team and the driver’s kidnap got.

“I want to thank the media particularly SWAN; I have received calls from within and outside the country; we are very grateful for the publicity,” he said.