I saw hell in Kidnappers’ den, Says Biffo

.Ransom paid for release

By Taofeek Babalola

Katsina United technical adviser Abdullahi Biffo has recounted his ordeal in the hands of his abductors, who kept him in their den for 17 days while demanding a ransom of N50 million, Sportinglens.blogspot.com reports.

Sportinglens.blogspot.com reports that Biffo was kidnapped on January 7 on his way to Katsina State from Abuja at a check-point after Malumfashi, ten minutes to Katsina, by unknown gunmen dressed in Policeman uniform.

Biffo told Sportinglens.blogspot.com exclusively that his abductors took him to a bush in Zamfara State where his eye was blindfolded and his hands was tied for five days.

Although the former Niger Tornadoes coach declined to say how much was paid for his release but he admitted that Katsina United management paid ransom for his release after several negotiations with the abductors.

“On my way back to Katsina from Abuja on January 7, immediately we passed Malumfashi, we saw some people with Police Uniform and we taught they were policemen. They stopped me and I stopped, another car was coming behind me and they asked him to stop and they started shooting and he was stopped and they removed him and all the passengers in the vehicle. They came back to me and they collected all the money with me,” Biffo told Sportinglens.blogspot.com.

He added: “They took the other guy that drove another car and they took us into the bush and we had to trek for about four hours before they brought a motorcycle. We drove inside the bush with their motorcycle and they took us to a bush in Zamfara. They blindfolded me and I didn’t see anything until we got to their den. So they tied my hands with rope for five days. They always remove the rope anytime they wanted to give me food. After five days my eye had been completely blurred and I can’t see very clearly. So that is how the situation started.

“They shoot randomly and threatened to kill us. They asked for the number and I gave them my chairman’s number and they started the negotiation, starting with 50 million naira and they reduced it to 30 million naira and that was the last time I heard about the negotiation and I don’t know how much they collected at the end of the negotiation.

“I don’t know how much it was paid but I know the club paid the money they agreed. I was part of the negotiation in the first five days but after that, I don’t know anything again.  I know it was huge money.”

On the seventh day in captivity, the former Niger Tornadoes manager also recalled a day he thought his life has ended when Nigerian Air Force bombed the kidnappers’ hideout, but he was saved by the Grace of God.   

“There was no network where they kept us but anytime they wanted to talk to my chairman they will move us to where there was network to make calls. After seven days, Nigerian Air Force came to where they kept us and started shooting sporadically and bombed the place they hide us. In fact, I thought that was the end but we thanked God none of the bullets hit us. I don’t know whether they have any information about our kidnapping,” Biffo said.

The former Kogi United gaffer said that he regained his freedom from his kidnappers on Wednesday by 6 pm, adding that he has been treated for typhoid fever and one of his eyes turned red.

“I was on a motorcycle for two hours on the day I was released, after two hours, the bicycle man asked me to drop and I should find my way, pointing to a direction to follow. He said I should go straight and from there I trekked another two hours again before I got to the main road at Dan Musa Local Government in Katsina State, I got a cab from there to Katsina. I arrived in Katsina around 6:30 pm on Wednesday.

“I was at the hospital for several tests but I thanked God for everything. The only problem I have is my eye and I was diagnosed for typhoid because of what I was eating and drinking. One of my eyes is red now. I want to use this medium to thank all Nigerians for the support, Katsina State Government, Katsina United management, NFF, LMC, Nigeria Football Coaching Association, journalists, my family and well-wishers,” he concluded.