In what appeared like a Nollywood movie, Vice President Namadi Sambo was yesterday held hostage for close to 20 minutes by suspected party thugs at the old campus of the Bayero University, Kano.
The VP, who had just rounded off an official engagement at the university, was held by the heavily armed thugs, who posed as party supporters to beat the security cover around him.
It took the negotiating skills and intervention of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, in charge of Zone 1, Tambari Yabo, for the vice president to regain his freedom.
The thugs chorused on top of their voices “Bamuayi, Bamuayi, Bamuayi”, meaning “we are no longer with you,” with others shouting “mungaji da aiki banza,” meaning “we are tired of the job.”
The AIG, however, intervened before the visibly shocked Sambo could say a word, ordering his men to disarm the protesting thugs.
However, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwarts in the VP’s entourage moved in and demanded to know from ‘the boys’ why they chose to embarrass Sambo.
The thugs told the vice president how they had risked their lives for PDP in the state, but that no one has paid them anything despite promises. After listening to the complains, the vice president directed party officials to attend to their needs and save the party public embarrassment.
The thugs later rejoined the vice president’s convoy and headed to other areas of engagement in the city.
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