Former Minister, Laurentia Mallam, Husband Regain Freedom

John Shiklam in Kaduna

Former minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Laraba Mallam and her husband, Pius Mallam, who were abducted by gunmen on Monday have been released by their captors. The former minister and her husband were kidnapped along the Jere-Gbwari Road, Kaduna state by armed men suspected to be fulani herdsmen.

Family sources told THISDAY in a telephone interview wednesday that the duo were released about 5pm after an undisclosed amount of money was paid.

The kidnappers had earlier demanded for N10 million as ransom.
The said: source “The former minister and her husband have been released and they are on their way to Abuja to join family members.

“Some money was paid for their release. As to their conditions, I can’t tell you anything about about them because we are are still expecting their arrival in Abuja” the source said. However, the Kaduna state police command could not immediately confirm the release of the former minister and her husband.

Spokesman of the command Aliyu Usman, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) told THISDAY on telephone that he was yet to get information about the released.

“I have not received such information about the release of the former minister and I cannot confirm your story. I will get back to you as soon as I find out” he said.