Police, others block, comb Zamfara for abducted emir

The police in Zamfara have commenced search for the Emir of Bukkuyum, Alhaji Muhammadu Usman, who was abducted from his palace on Friday night by some gunmen.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara, DSP Sanusi Aminu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Gusau on Saturday.
He said the police in collaboration with other security agencies in the state had blocked all possible outlets from the state in order to arrest the abductors.

'Although we do not know their motive, the action is criminal and we shall arrest them and they will face the full wrath of the law,' he said.

Also speaking, Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad, the Secretary to the Bukkuyum Emirate Council and younger brother of the abducted emir, said he spoke on the telephone with the emir.

He said the emir was in good health and had not been hurt by his abductors.

Muhammad, however, urged the people of the community to pray for the safe return of the emir.

He said the abductors arrived in an ash-coloured Honda Civic car and asked to speak privately with the emir.

Muhammad further said when the palace guards resisted the request, the abductors fired gunshots into the air and ordered all those present to hand over their cell phones which they took along with the monarch

The 60-year-old traditional ruler, who had been on the throne for 14 years, was abducted by the gunmen while he was preparing for his Isha'i prayer.

 The state Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji, said that government would give all required assistance to the police in order to rescue the emir.