Last Tuesday, unidentified men killed a Syrian businessman, Ahmed Abu Areeda, and kidnapped his 14-year-old son, Muhammad Ahmed in Kano State. The Syrian national was shot dead by the gunmen after he resisted the kidnapping of his son. It reportedly occurred around 8:05pm when the deceased, accompanied by his two children, went to the Kano State office of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, along Hospital Road, to pick his car.

A witness, who pleaded for anonymity said, “He closed his shop around 8pm, so he went to pick his car. The gunmen, parked outside, were apparently waiting for him. Some of them followed the deceased into the compound, accosted and shot him in the head, and took away one of his sons, Muhammad.”

An eye witness narrated: “I saw the kidnappers’ car reversing towards the gate of the Red Cross. I also saw two people dragging the boy towards the car, and one other man was behind them. This happened few minutes after we heard the first gunshot. When they forced the boy inside the car, they fired another shot in the air and drove off. Everything happened within 5 minutes.”

An associate of the deceased told Daily Trust that the deceased had been in Nigeria for about 20 years now.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Magaji Musa Majia, confirmed the incident. He added that no arrest was made so far in connection with the incident.

Police authorities also have confirmed the rescue of the abducted teenager, Muhammad. Confirming, SP Majia, said the boy was rescued without paying any ransom to the kidnappers.

However, some Syrian nationals told Daily Trust that Muhammad was returned home by the abductors with an injury, not hale and hearty as earlier claimed. “They brought him back with a gunshot wound on his thigh,” one source said.

They however dismissed the possibility of witch-hunting against late Areeda. “He was very good, he had no enemies. He minds his business. Only God knows what happened,” another said.

A source close to the family told Daily Trust that relatives of the deceased are on their way to Nigeria.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/kidnapped-syrian-teen-rescued-with-gunshot-wound-on-thigh.html

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