Police arrest kidnappers of UBEC Chairman & Daughter; Smash gang kidnapping Foreign Expatriates, who collected N200million as ransom in 6 months.

Puff Adder: Police arrest kidnappers of UBEC Chairman & Daughter; Smash gang kidnapping Foreign Expatriates along Abuja-Kaduna-Katsina Highways, who collected N200million as ransom in 6 months.

Sequel to the directive of IGP Abubakar Adamu to Police Officers through Operation Puff Adder to swoop on hideouts and dens of criminals terrorizing highway users and other citizens along Abuja, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Zamfara states, the Police on Wednesday paraded 38 kidnappers and bandits nabbed for various attacks.

One of the notorious kidnapping gang smashed is the gang who abducted Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEC) Muhammed Mahmood and his daughter and also killed his driver, in April, along Abuja-Kaduna road

Also arrested is a gang of kidnappers who specialize in abducting foreign expatriates and collecting ransom of between N20million to N25million before such foreigners are released.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Frank Mba disclosed that leader of the gang that kidnapped the UBEC chairman, Samaila Sule aka Shaho was killed in a gun battle with Operation Puff Adder operatives.

He said, “Consequent to the death of the gang leader, a massive manhunt was launched to arrest his remaining gang members. Eventually, between July 2en and July 13th 2019, four more gang members were arrested by IRT operatives in both Kaduna and Nasarawa states.

The suspects arrested are Abubakar Ahmadu aka Dabo, 27 year old from Zamfara State living in Rijiana village along Abuja-Kaduna expressway and second in command, who is famed for shooting and killing innocent citizens along the expressway.

Other suspects are Musa Hassan aka Anaruwa 26 years old from Kano State who supplies arms and ammunition and coordinates the evacuation and selling of rustled cows, Umar Musa 22 years from Kaduna state, a close confidant of gang leader, Shaho and Mallam Saidu Musa, 57 years from Tudun Wada, Kaduna State who lives in Rijiana village along Abuja-Kaduna expressway.

The kidnappers said their 7-man gang with 5 AK 47 rifles killed the driver of the UBEC chairman because he was stubborn adding that they successfully negotiated and collected the ransom which they shared before releasing the victims.

In a similar vein, Abubakar Umar aka Dogo, leader of the gang that specialize in kidnapping foreigners confessed that their spiritual leader, Malam Salisu Abubakar who had earlier been arrested by the Police was the backbone of the gang because he gives spiritual clearance before they embark on any operation.

Disclosing that the Police would not have arrested them if not for the earlier arrest of the spiritual father, he said his gang makes between N20million to N25million for every foreigner they kidnap pointing out that in the last 6 months, they made over N200million from kidnapped expatriates.

Other members of the gang paraded are Saleh Idris 67 year old Fulani from Koro village, Kaduna State, Bello Abdullahi 35 years old from Kaduna state, Abdullahi Musa 40 years old from Kaduna state, Ya’u Abdullahi 45 years old from Kaduna state, Nuhu Yakubu 20 years old from Kaduna state and Ismail Yakubu 30 years old from Bassa-Iga, Plateau State.

Also paraded are Aliyu Mohammed 35 years old Tilde Fulani from Bauchi state, Ibrahim Yakubu 30 years old from Plateau state, Ibrahim Zubairu 25 years old from Kaduna state, Abdullahi Ahmed 32 years old from Kaduna state, Hamze Jibrin Bayero from Jos North, Plateau state

Recovered weapons and ammunition from the various gangs, displayed by the police include 7 AK 47 rifles, one AK 49 rifle, 5 Dane guns, 2 pump action guns, hundreds of AK 47 ammunition, local charms and 160 rustled cows

END