Kidnapped Nigerian Lawyer Mustafa Regains Freedom, Fate Of Two Others Uncertain
SaharaReporters learned on Wednesday morning that Mustafa had regained his freedom, though details surrounding his release remain unclear.
M.A. Mustafa, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) who was recently kidnapped by gunmen near Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, has been released.
SaharaReporters learned on Wednesday morning that Mustafa had regained his freedom, though details surrounding his release remain unclear.
It is also uncertain whether the two other individuals abducted alongside him have been released.
“Our colleague, Mustafa Esq, has been released,” a source in the NBA told SaharaReporters on Wednesday.
On Saturday, SaharaReporters reported that Mustafa, a member of the NBA Oleh branch, was abducted by gunmen along with two other individuals and taken to an unknown location.
The kidnappers later contacted the wife of one of the other victims, Ezikiah Grifits, on Friday morning, demanding a ransom of N60 million.
“I met with the wife and Ezikiah Grifits’ brother who is among the kidnapped persons. According to them, they said the kidnappers are communicating with his wife and his brother (Timothy) with Ezikiah’s phone,” a source said.
“They said that the first call came around 5 pm on Thursday demanding for N60 million for the three of them, i.e. M.A. Mustafa, Ezikiah and John Otuloho.
“That they also spoke with Ezikiah, Mustafa and Otuloho. Three of them are in the same place.
“Then on Friday morning around 7 am, they also called with Ezikiah’s phone and beat the price down to N40 million for three of them, but Ezikiah’s brother offered N1 million and they immediately ended the call. Till now, they haven’t called back. We are still especting their call.
“Just this morning, I tried one of Mustafa’s number which rang but no one didn’t pick the call. When I tried calling again, the phone had been switched off.”
