Mr Bagudu Hirse, former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, who was kidnapped last November, recounted his ordeals in the hands of his captors, when they discovered he only had N20,000 in his account.

Hirse, made this known in an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Jos.

“They went through my bank details and expressed deep disappointment that a former minister and Ambassador had such a little sum in his account.

“That was when they started harassing my wife because they had earlier asked for a ransom of N50 million.

“In fact, when they confirmed the figure, they started doubting if I was the Bagudu Hirse, a former Nigeria envoy to Namibia,” he stated.

Hirse remarked of how the kidnappers ordered his wife to bring the money he was hiding.

“My wife told them the truth about our financial status, but they were not convinced,” Hirse said.

The former minister was however released after he “paid something in dollars”.

He said the kidnappers claimed they were graduates who took to kidnapping in order to survive because they were jobless and frustrated.

“One said that he graduated from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, six years ago, and had remained without a job, while another said he studied Chemical Engineering and had been jobless for five years,” he recounted.

Hirse, confirmed he was “treated very well” by the kidnappers, and said he maintained a cordial relationship with them throughout his period of incommunicado.

He then urged the government to create more jobs, and emphasizing the need to concentrate on building the private sector.

“If the private sector is supported to be viable, there will be jobs and most of these idle youths will be absorbed,” he stated.