Crime

Rival gang kidnaps “kidnapper” ask for N1.5m ransom

A suspected kidnapper, Mohammed Ahmadu, had to pay a ransom of N1.5 million to a rival kidnapping gang before he could be released.

DCP Frank Mba, Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), made this known while parading suspects from both gangs.

While speaking to journalists, Mba said both gangs normally operate around the federal capital territory (FCT) and the north-central region.

In a released statement, he said, “Notable among the arrests, is the arrest of one Abubakar Umaru a.k.a. Buba Bargu, ‘m’, 35 years, native of Kato Shiroro area of Niger State by the operatives of the special tactical squad (STS),”

“Investigations by the police team revealed that Abubakar is a member and armourer of a gang that has carried out several kidnaps for ransom operations along Lokoja-Abuja/Abuja-Kaduna highways and other major highways in the north-central states of the country”.

“Interestingly, this group carried out the abduction of one Mohammed Ahmadu a.k.a. Confirm, ‘m’, 30 years, a kidnap kingpin and leader of another notorious kidnapping group in the north-central, when he came to their hideout in the forest to sell live ammunition to the group.

“He was held and shot in the hand until his gang members paid a ransom of one million, five hundred and fifty-five thousand naira (N1,555,000.00) only for his release”.