The recent warning to residents of Borno by the Joint Task Force (JTF) that the members of the Boko Haram sect now see kidnapping as more lucrative, is playing out already, as 92-year old elder statesmen; Shettima Ali Munguno has been kidnapped from a mosque in Maiduguri, north east of Nigeria.
The former Minister of Mines and Power and also Petroleum Minister was abducted by gunmen as he left the mosque after Jumat prayers on Friday, in the Mafoni ward area of the city.
Witnesses say Dr shettima was whisked away by four young and well-armed men as he was taken off to his house in GRA Maiduguri.
It was also confirmed that the hoodlums asked those with him to get out of the Peugeot station wagon as they went away with him.
The 92 year old elder statesman has been on the front burner calling for amnesty for the Boko Haram members.
Dr Shettima Ali Monguno was one of the Borno elders who met with the President during his two day official visit to Borno and demanded for amnesty for the Boko Haram sect as well as calls for withdrawal of the Joint Task Force from the state.
Speaking on the kidnap of the elder statesman, the Borno state Governor Kashim shettima said “government will work assiduously, tirelessly to see he is freed”
He also said security establishment have been adequately informed pointing out that he has “spoken with Mr President and the National Security Adviser, believing that all stakeholders and agencies of government were touched by this dastard act”.
The governor described it as the height of criminality saying; “God willing his freedom will be secured”.
Mr. Munguno is a vocal and influential politician and educationist.
While the JTF keeping peace in the region says it is unaware of the kidnap, the police force public relations officer, Mr Frank Mba confirmed the incident explaining that the police are already on the trail of the kidnappers.
Elders emergency meeting
The Borno Elders led by Ambassador Gaji Galtimari are reported to have summoned an emergency meeting with the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, and security chiefs in the state.
The meeting is holding at the family house of Mr. Monguno, is to focus on the kidnap of nonagenarian.
The family house is adjacent the Borno Government House.
In his reaction before the closed door meeting started, the governor is reported to have stated that it was “inhuman for anybody to kidnap a 92-year-old man.”
The Governor added that it was only a “mad man that will harm an old man.”
Also attending the meeting is the State Director of the State Security Service, the State Commissioner of Police and other security chiefs in Borno.
