A LEGAL practitioner, Hashim Abdullahi, has been abducted by gunmen while returning from the recently concluded Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) National Conference held in Kano State.
The abduction was confirmed by the immediate past National President of MULAN, Sa’idu Muhammad Tudunwada, in an official statement obtained by NigerianSketch.
According to the statement, Abdullahi was intercepted and taken hostage while travelling back to his base in Kebbi State after attending the association’s annual conference.
Tudunwada disclosed that the kidnappers had established contact with the victim’s family and associates and initially demanded a ransom of N200 million, which was later reduced to about N100 million before being reviewed downward again.
According to him, the abductors are now demanding N50 million and five Boxer motorcycles as conditions for the lawyer’s release.
Expressing deep sadness over the incident, the former MULAN president appealed to members of the legal profession and the general public to remember the abducted lawyer in their prayers.
“We pray to Allah SWT to grant him safety, protect him from all harm, and reunite him with his family in good health. May He bring him out of this trial safely and expose the perpetrators,” the statement read in part.
Tudunwada also called for the immediate and unconditional release of Abdullahi to enable him to reunite safely with his family.
He urged the abductors to release the legal practitioner without further delay.
As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the abduction.
