Ambassador Hirse allegedly kidnapped by gunmen at Buhari’s cousin’s home in Kaduna.

A number of unidentified gunmen on Sunday, allegedly stormed the Kaduna residence of President Muhammadu Buhari’s powerful cousin, Mr Mamman Daura, and kidnapped a former minister, Ambassador Bagudu Hirse.

While the circumstances surrounding the kidnap remain unclear, there was a brief exchange of gunfire between the gunmen and security operatives attached to Mr Daura’s residence, according to Sahara Reporters.

The president’s cousin is said to be unharmed but shocked by the incident while more security operatives have reportedly been drafted to the scene.
One Twitter user, Dasuki S Nakande who tweets via @inakande earlier in the day, claimed that President Buhari’s chief of staff, Mr Abba Kyari hid in the toilet to escape being found by the gunmen.

Vanguard newspaper reports that Ambassador Hirse was in the company of his friend and had gone to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki on Kabiru road, some metres from Mr Daura’s residence on Inuwa Road in Kaduna.

The ambassador and his friends were said to have decided to make a quick stopover at the house of Daura who was at home and was receiving guests and other family members.

An official statement about the incident is being awaited from the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies