A former Nigerian oil minister who was kidnapped over the weekend has been released.
87-year old Ali Shettima Monguno was kidnapped in Maiduguri last Friday by militants suspected to be members of the murderous Islamic group, Boko Haram.
It is unclear if any ransom demands were paid to the group prior to his release.
Intelligence organizations in Nigeria had warned the public early last week that the extremist group that kidnapped Monguno would soon commence kidnapping for ransom to finance its deadly operations.
The octogenarian Monguno served as Nigeria’s oil minister in the 1970s and held the rotating presidency of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 1972.
“The abductors got in touch and they put my father through on the phone, he spoke to us and said that he was fine. They made a ransom demand,” the ex-minister’s son, Abubakar Ali Monguno told media organizations on Friday, declining to give a figure.
Other residents and relatives said that Monguno had stayed behind to greet well-wishers after prayers and was attacked shortly after entering his car.
While no group claimed the attack, Boko Haram has been known to be behind a spate of assassinations and kidnappings around the northeastern city.
Borno state Governor Kashim Shettima was mobilizing elders and security chiefs in Maiduguri to discuss means of securing the ex-minister’s safe release, a statement from his office said.
“The kidnap is likely targeted at a heavy ransom,” the statement said.
Monguno, chairman of the Borno elders’ forum, “has remained the face of Borno” over the years, it said. The (Boko Haram) sect perhaps realised how important Monguno is and hence could attract a high price in exchange for his release.”
Monguno was among the group of elders who met President Goodluck Jonathan in Maiduguri in March to discuss the Boko Haram crisis.
He has repeatedly called for dialogue with the militant group and urged Jonathan to reduce the massive security deployment in the city and ease a curfew forcing all residents to stay indoors after sundown.
Boko Haram’s insurgency has left thousands dead since 2009.