By Precious Igbonwelundu
In continuation on its clampdown on kidnappings and banditry in Zamfara State, the police have arrested five members of an alleged vicious gang that killed a man and took his two wives hostage weeks ago.
The suspects identified as Sani Boka, Alhani Kabiru Lawali, Kabiru Sani, Sani Umar and Abubakar Yakubu were arrested by policemen attached to Gummi Division approximately three weeks after they killed one Alhaji Umar Ibrahim of Dan-Awo village in Gummi Local Government Area (LGA).
According to Commissioner of Police (CP) Usman Nagogo, the suspects collected N200,000 from the man’s residence that day and forced the relatives to pay N1.8million presumably for the release of the victims.
But unknown to the suspects, one of the wives was able to recognise one Sani Boka, a native of Masama village as one of those who killed their husband and took them away.
She was said to have provided this detail to the police which led to Boka’s arrest soon after their release. Detectives who interrogated the suspect were able to get useful information from him that led to the apprehension of the five culprits.
Nagogo said: “All the suspects arrested confessed to the crime. It is important to stress here that not all acts of kidnapping and banditry are being perpetrated by bandits in the forest. These hoodlums that were arrested are either from the same village with the victim or surrounding villages.
“One of the suspects is a younger brother to the deceased’s wife and very closed friend to the deceased. Let me use this opportunity to call on the public to be vigilant in their respective communities.”
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Similarly, the command arrested Usman Bala, Umar Abubakar and Kabiru Abdullahi for allegedly acting as informants to bandits as well as aiding and abetting their crimes.
Nagogo said they were arrested following complaints by the district head of Nasarawa in Bukkuyum LGA that he received a letter from bandits through a released kidnapped victims wherein they requested that three prominent people in the village should pay them N100 million or the village will face massive attack.
“Investigation revealed that one of the suspects has been in constant contact with the bandits through his mobile phones. Effort is being intensified to arrest other informants who have been agents provocateur in fueling banditry in Zamfara State,” he said.
The police chief said two suspected fraudsters, Badamasi Aminu and Rabi’u Ibrahim were held for alleged conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretences.
He said a black nylon bag containing sand and rag mixed with a fake $100 note; several simcards and two mobile phones were recovered from them.
Police said they were arrested following reports by one Ibrahim Abdullahi of Gada Biyu village on March 5 that he received an anonymous call from someone who claimed to be a spirit.
He said the caller asked him to give out N50 to anyone and in return, he would become extremely rich.
“A little while, the caller called him back and instructed him to get a white gown and tie N19,000, white kolanut and perfume in it. The suspect further directed him to drop same at Dan-Maikyau filling station along Wanke Road.
“In this place, the Jinn/spirit will drop a bundle of foreign currency note in exchange with the item he will drop. In the process of picking the money that was said to be kept by the complainant, two suspects were arrested.
“In the course of investigation, the suspects not only confessed to the offence but series of mobile lines of different networks that were used to defraud unsuspecting members of the public were recovered.
“Interrogation of the suspects will be continued to determine other victims that were defrauded or any other motive of these suspects,” he said.
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