The police have announced the arrest of a kidnapper accountable for multiple abductions along the Abuja-Kaduna State expressway.
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, signed a statement on Tuesday stating that on January 24, a 10-man gang led by Bello Umar, a 28-year-old man from Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, was apprehended.
”Similarly, on January 27 2024, Operatives of the IRT apprehended one Bello Umar, a 28-year-old Fulani man from Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, suspected of being a kidnapper along with approximately ten other gang members.”
Bello acknowledged that he and his group had received ransom payments ranging from ₦100 million to ₦40 million, with their stronghold located in Kaduna State’s Rigina Forest.
His portion of a recent ransom collection was also retrieved upon his arrest, totaling ₦2.2 million.
An additional sting operation by its I FID-STS agents intercepted the transfer of military equipment from Kaduna to Zamfara state, namely at Shinkafi LGA. Following a spot search, ten sets of military camouflage uniforms, ten camel packs, twelve military hats, three cardigans, three t-shirts, two belts, and three anklets were found.
Mushiri Abubakar, 28, and Ahmed Mohammed, 40, were the two suspects who were taken into custody.
Abubakar said that he was a childhood buddy of a member of the Air Force stationed in Kaduna state.
In the wake of an ongoing investigation into opposing secret cults’ daily murders and instability in Edo State.
The statement also disclosed that members of the FID-IRT apprehended Edosa Obasuyi, Abumere Endurance, Monday Otubu, and Esther Abumere in the Ekpoma area of Edo State in connection with cult-related conflicts in the state.
The individuals admitted to being affiliated with the Eiye confraternity and confessed to their participation in the violent activities and killings within the specified area.
Upon searching their residences, authorities recovered two pump-action guns, several voter cards registered under different names, nineteen live cartridges, four expended cartridges, a wooden carved gun, illicit drugs, charms, and their mobile phones.
During questioning, they corroborated that the murders in the state stemmed from clashes between the Eiye confraternity and the Maphites. Ongoing efforts are aimed at apprehending additional fleeing members of the group and restoring law and order in the area.