Alhaji Muhammed Sani Idris, the Niger State Commissioner for Information, who was released on Thursday night by his abductor, has said he would rather lose his life than see the government of the state pay ransom to secure his release, according to SaharaReporters.
According to Idris, his release was miraculous as no ransom was paid for his freedom. He added that the bandits shed tears as they let him go.
Idris stated this while addressing journalists in Minna, the state capital, where he was received by the Speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, Abdullahi Wuse, some cabinet members and his family.
He said, “The experience was traumatising. I came out last night and I spent the night at a hospital for observation and I came in to Minna this morning hale and hearty.
“I was the only victim with the bandits and they told me that they saw my case as a high-profile kidnapping and they planned for it very well with different people from different teams to ensure that they succeed.
“I was not rescued and I didn’t pay any ransom. It was just miraculous.
“I was asking them if what they were doing is welcomed in the eyes of Allah, gradually; instead of breaking me, I started breaking them. After then they started giving me bread and water. They untied me and used the only trampoline they had to cover me during rain while they stayed under the rain.
“They began to show concern, I kept talking to them and in the long run, they said I should go and reunite with my family.”
“I prefer to lose my life to take the government to the washes and we succeeded. I came out unscathed aside from the beating and without paying a dime.
“People will be surprised but I am a believer. When they captured me, what I did was to remember that God had promised to take us through trials and tribulations and that for those that can show resilience and withstand this, he promised us a lot.
“I held onto the leader and told him that I forgave them for all the humiliations they had taken me through. They began to shed tears and they said that they pray that their meeting with me will be an endpoint to their banditry,” the commissioner added.
