UBEC Board Chairman, Daughter Freed from Captivity

The Board Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Muhammed Mahmoud, and his daughter were on Tuesday released by their abductors.

Mahmoud, his daughter and several other travellers were abducted last Monday on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway when suspected bandits open fire at them.

The UBEC boss’ driver was said to have been killed during the incident.

There has been no information about other commuters who were abducted by the bandits.

Mahmood's freedom was confirmed in a telephone interview by Hussaini Danladi, a relation, who said they were freed from captivity at about noon yesterday.

Danladi, however, did not say whether a ransom was paid before their release.

The kidnappers seemed to have taken over the Kaduna-Abuja expressway which has been deserted by travellers following the deadly activities of the criminals-kidnapping, armed robbery among others

Despite the massive deployment of security of personnel on the highway, the bandits have continued to operate in the most daring manner, killing and abducting people plying the road.

The road has been deserted by many commuters who now prefer to travel by train.

Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Yakubu Sabo, were abortive as his mobile phone number was not connecting.