Osinbajo Summons IG over Kidnap of German Archaeologists

Abductors demand N60m ransom Police deploy surveillance

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna with agency report
The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday summoned the Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, over the kidnap of two German archaeologists, Peter Breunig and Johannes Behringer, in Kaduna State.

Breunij and Buringer were abducted on Wednesday in Jenjela village, Kagarko Local Government area of Kaduna State.

A source told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the police chief briefed the acting president on efforts so far made by police to rescue the victims unhurt and apprehend the kidnappers.
The summon of the IG is coming as the abductors of the German archaeologist have demanded for N60 million as ransom.

A source in Jenjela village said the kidnappers demanded N30 million on each of their victims.
The source, who preferred not to be named, said the abductors called the line of the camp supervisor around 11a.m. yesterday to demand for the random.

According to the source, the kidnappers warned associates of the professor against involving the police and other security agencies in the bid to rescue their victims and advised them to source for the money immediately to secure their release

“Obviously they were not worried about the involvement of the police and other security agencies whose men arrived the village yesterday and were asking questions,” he said.

It was learnt that security men arrived the village as early as 7a.m., combing the area in the bid to rescue the of the Germans while a helicopter surveying the bushes in an attempt to locate them.
Prof. Breunij said to be 65 years, his aide is believed to be in his early 20s.
Meanwhile, to promptly rescue Breunig and Behringer, the IG yesterday launched manhunt for the rescue of two German archaeologists.

While briefing journalists on the incident at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, Idris said two Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) in charge of Operations, Mr. Habila Josak and his colleague at the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Mr. Hyacinth Dagala, have been relocated to Kaduna State.

The police, he said, are also reinforcing the operation by deploying surveillance helicopters to comb the nooks and crannies of the towns and villages around the excavation site where they were kidnapped.
The Special Police Forces, according to him, comprised the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), the Technical Intelligence Unit (TIU), the Anti-kidnapping Unit, the Counter Terrorism Unit, the Police Mobile Force, Police Surveillance Helicopters and Special Investigation Team on Kidnapping and Terrorism Cases are under the Command.

The IG, who was represented by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP, Jimoh Moshood, said the suspected kidnappers struck when the victims drove to the excavation site without police protection.