The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Mr. Sam Saba, was abducted by unknown gunmen who were dressed in military uniforms along Kaduna- Abuja road on Monday night. A highly placed source told New Telegraph that Saba was flagged down by the kidnapers around 8p.m. and the bureau chairman stopped for them, thinking the abductors were security men.
Although the Police Public Relations Office (PPRO) of Kaduna Command, DSP Zubairu Abubakar, said that he was not aware of the incident, the source said that Saba was whisked away in his own vehicle. However, it was not clear whether the chairman was driving alone or he was with a driver when the ab- duction took place.
The source said that the kidnappers are yet to demand any ransom from the family as at press time yesterday. When New Telegraph contacted the spokesperson of the Bureau, Muhammed Idris, he confirmed that the Chairman travelled out of Abuja on an official assignment. He, however, denied that the CBB chairman was kidnapped. According to him, “Please it is a rumour as the chairman was on official assignment outside Abuja.”
When asked whether he has been able to speak to the chairman since he left Abuja, Idris said his(chairman’s) phone has been switched off. He, however, asked New Telegraph to call him back by 10a.m. today to ascertain the position of things.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command denied knowledge of the Saba’s abduction. Speaking with New Telegraph on the telephone last night, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Anjuguri Manzah, said: “I have not got any information to that effect.”
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mrs. Olabisi Kolawole, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), however, confirmed the abduction. “Good evening information was received about his abduction yesterday (Monday), upon presure mounted by police, he was released at about 1700hrs today (yesterday),” Kolawole told New Telegraph. It will be recalled that Kaduna has experienced a spate of kidnappings in recent times. In April, the State Police Command had nabbed 15 suspects, including those terrorising Kaduna- Abuja Expressway where three pastors were recently kidnapped and Colonel Samaila Inusa killed.
The then Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu, said the gang included those who kidnapped Engr. Mansur Ahmed, a senior official of Dangote Group along Abuja/ Kaduna expressway.
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