By Abdusalam Muhammed

 KANO — A Kano-based businessman, Alhaji Salisu Mataba, who was kidnapped last Sunday in his residence, regained his freedom last night after N80 million was paid to his abductors.

Family sources told Vanguard in Kano that the negotiation was coordinated by the siblings of the businessman who acted on the instruction of the abductors to keep the police in the dark over the development.

Vanguard learnt that Alhaji Salisu Mataba’s abductors had demanded for undisclosed amount in US dollars as ransom to set him free but it could not be ascertained whether the ransom paid to the abductors was in US dollars.

Although Mataba’s son,  Mahdi Salisu, who was believed to have  handled the monetary negotiation refused to disclose the amount paid to buy his father’s freedom, but family sources insisted that “heavy ransom in the range of N80 milion exchanged hands”.

Mahdi explained that his father was never subjected to physical assault while in bondage, stressing that, “my father cooperated with them as he asked us to source for the money and give them so that he would be released.”

Mahdi Salisu revealed that when the ransom was handed over to the kidnappers they stubbornly insisted on counting the money to make sure it was complete before setting the businessman free.

In Mahdi Salisu words: “they refused to release him to us immediately as they asked us to go home so that they would have enough time to count the money and ensure that it is complete. They also told us to expect our father in a few minutes time.

“At about 12 mid-night, all of us were seated outside in the family house when an Achaba (commercial motorcyclist) stopped in front of our house and we sighted our father looking very tired,” he explained.

The businessman’s son denied a media report (not Vanguard) that three of Alhaji Mataba’s sons were shot on the day he was kidnapped, pointing out none of his brothers sustained bullet injuries.

 “We did not engage the gun men in any fight. They did not shoot any of us. We were all in the house now.”