A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress in Jigawa State, Alhaji Abba Anas Adamu, a former federal lawmaker who represented Birniwa, Guri, and Kirikasamma constituencies in the House of Representatives from 2007 to 2011, has died in the captivity of bandits after his family paid a reduced ransom of N50 million, throwing the state into mourning.
Adamu was abducted along with a friend, Alhaji Ali Tukur Gantsa, on a Kaduna highway at Jere while the two men were travelling to Abuja for a political engagement. The kidnappers initially demanded N200 million before agreeing to a negotiated ransom of N50 million.
Family sources said Adamu, who suffered from both asthma and hypertension, was without his medication throughout his period of captivity, and the combination of his medical conditions and the trauma of the ordeal proved fatal. His son and driver delivered the ransom to the abductors, who subsequently released Gantsa and showed Adamu’s corpse to his son. The body was released to the family for burial.
Residents of Jigawa described Adamu as a grassroots politician respected for his humility and integrity, and expressed deep sorrow at the circumstances of his death.
