The kidnapped Deputy Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Hon. Sama’ila Muhammed Bagudo, who was taken from his home in Bagudo on Friday, October 31, has spoken from his captors’ den.
In a voice message shared on social media in Birnin Kebbi, the deputy speaker said that ₦140 million had been raised so far to pay his kidnappers.
He also asked one of his colleagues in the State Assembly to sell his four vehicles to raise more money to meet the kidnappers’ demand.
Reports suggest the abductors are asking for over ₦200 million for his release.
However, a close friend of the deputy speaker, Malam Abubakar Bagudo, said he was unaware of the voice message.
“We don’t know where this recording came from, and we can’t confirm if it was truly his voice,” he said.
He added, “We were surprised because the deputy speaker, who is very close to us, has not spoken directly to us about the ransom.”
Unconfirmed reports also indicate that the deputy speaker may be trying to gather the ransom money to secure his release soon.
