Popular Nigerian musician released 5 days after abduction

Five days after he was abducted in Yola, Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria after the release of his new album condemning corrupt practices, popular Hausa musician, Ado Halliru, who bears the stage name Ado Daukaka, has been freed on Wednesday.

Nigerian police search for popular missing singer Ado Daukaka #BBCAfricaLive https://t.co/fF581af7Bh pic.twitter.com/ngL26rYdTb

— BBC Africa (@BBCAfrica) June 29, 2016

The controversial musician who came to the limelight with a popular praise song for the former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, was dumped unconsciously along Lamurde road, 80 kilometres away from the state capital by unknown gunmen, family sources confirmed.

“Earlier today we got a call from Lafia-Lamurde (neighbouring town) that Ado Daukaka had been found by villagers after he was pushed onto a road. We immediately rushed to the location,” Muhammad Faisal, a closed friend of Ado Daukaka said.

Africanews’ correspondent in Yola, Adamawa State, Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz, spoke to the freed musician who was frail and undergoing treatment at a private clinic in Lafia-Lamurde.

“Some strange men called my mobile phone saying that they were interested in striking a deal on an album I earlier composed for former Kano state governor Kwankwaso, claiming that they were from Kano. So they wanted me to meet with them in the night which I declined.

“They lured me into believing that they meant business, so on the fateful day, Friday, one of them accosted me at the mosque and after morning prayer, Subh, the man told me that they were waiting for me because according to him they were on their way back to Kano. “So we proceeded to my shop and on reaching there, the man that accosted me pointed to one car that was parked close to the shop saying that his boss is in the car during which they asked me to enter the parked vehicle for the names they wanted me use to compose the song for them.

“And as soon as I entered their vehicle, one of the three guys pointed his gun at my neck and blinded my eyes and they took-off.

“They asked why I am poking my nose into some people’s affairs? I was not manhandled because they provided me with food and I declined all but instead I only asked for biscuit and milk. “After about three days, another group took me to another hidden place and I was later dumped along Lamurde,” Ado Daukaka narrated thanking God and all those who prayed for his release.

Family members, neighbours and fans linked his disappearance with his latest song in which he alleged that some elected politicians were deceiving the electorates.

After he was rescued by the villagers in the neighbouring town, Ado Daukaka was taken to a nearby police station before he was taken to the hospital, sources disclosed.

However, the police spokesman for the state, SP Othman Abubakar denied knowledge of his release as at the time Africanews contacted him.

Below is one of his many praise songs for local politicians. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }