The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kidnappers

  • Kidnappers demand N100m ransom from APC candidate

    Abductors of Hon Micheal Ohio-Ezomo, the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) candidate for Owan West constituency, are demanding a ransom of N100m.

    Ohio-Ezomo was kidnapped on January 23, 2019 at his Sabongidda Ora residence by gunmen after his police orderly was killed.

    Family sources said the kidnappers called family members last weekend where they made the demand.

    It was however gathered that an attempt to rescue him by a special police force failed and the abductors managed to escape to another location.

    Edo Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu, confirmed that the kidnappers have opened communication channels but was silent on how much was being demanded.

    Read Also: APC to Atiku: Nigerians will never return to Egypt

    Odumosu said the police was being careful because of the victim.

    He said the police busted kidnappers den at Okada Junction in Ovia South West local government area where locally made pistol, one cut to size barrel and two wooden guns were recovered.

    The Edo Police boss said seven kidnap victims were rescued in January in different parts of Edo State.

    He called on the citizens to assist the police with useful information.

  • Seven kidnappers arrested in Ondo

    Men of the Joint Security Task Force, put in place by the Ondo State Government to curb insecurity, have arrested seven suspected kidnappers at Emure-Ile junction on Owo/Akure road.

    Parading the suspects at the police headquarters in Akure yesterday, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Owena Cantonment, Maj. Ojo Adenegan and police spokesman Femi Joseph said they were arrested at a hideout inside Emure-Owo forest during a raid.

    Joseph said the task force also nabbed kidnappers’ informants, who monitored their (task force’s) operations.

    He added that they were apprehended with 20 guns, 15 daggers, 15 cutlasses, other weapons, charms, N27,820 cash and clothing materials.

    Read also: Evans: police burned me with cigarette to make me confess

    The spokesman said the command arrested two suspected weed planters, Friday Ami and Sunday Femi, who allegedly killed a 75-year-old woman, Mrs. Modupe Olorunfemi, on her Owo farm.

    He said the septuagenarian was murdered in February 2017 for giving security operatives information about their activities.

  • Police parade 2 female kidnappers for killing man after N1.5m ransom

     

    Kaduna State Police Command has paraded two notorious female kidnappers and their male accomplice for killing a man after collecting N1.5m ransom.

    Commissioner of Police Ahmad Abdul-Raman, who paraded the suspects at the Command Headquarters on Tuesday, said kidnapping was taking a new turn with females leading the gang.

    He said the two female kidnappers Hashiya Dauda, 23, and Safara’u Mohammed Tahir, 23, were arrested alongside Ishaq Tanimu Sulaiman, 33, Sale Ya’u, 20, Yusuf Sulaiman, 23, and Iliyasu Ali, 22.

    He said the five suspects were undergoing investigations for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and being in possession of firearms and will be charged to court soon.

    Similarly three armed robbery suspects were also nabbed by the command.

    They were 28-year-old Mark; 25-year-old  Abdulganiyu Musa and

    Sabi’u Yusuf, 24.

    According to the CP, “I am glad to brief you today on the most recent break through made by the Kaduna State Police Command in its relentless and vigorous fight against crime and criminality in the state.

    “You will recall that we have showcased some successes two weeks ago when we paraded about 27 suspected criminals and several exhibits recovered during investigations.

    “All the suspects paraded have been prosecuted accordingly. Today, I am pleased to inform you that the command within the last few days has succeeded in arresting 14 criminal suspects and recovered 5 vehicles among other items.

    “The suspects are as follows for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and being in possession of firearms.”

    Items recovered from the suspects include 2 Dane guns; 1 black Toyota Matrix with Reg.No.PHC833AGU, chasis: 2T1LR32E03C035628; 1 Toyota Highlander (Ash in colour, Chasis No.JTEDP21A340041286); 1 Camry 2006/2007 Model (Chassis No.4TIBE46K180261020) and 1 black Focus Ford (Chassis No.6XYGCDBXT40036).

    Others include: 1 Green Mercedes C230 (Chassis No. UF33CN6RE85104087); large quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Cannabis Sativa.

    The CP said the suspects have confessed to various roles played in the respective crimes and will be arraigned in court of competent jurisdiction on completion of investigations.

     

  • Police arrest suspected armed robber, cultists in Bayelsa

    The police in Bayelsa State have arrested a suspected armed robber, James Oweifa, for allegedly terrorising Yenagoa, the state capital and its environs.

    The 22-year-old Oweifa, who hails from Agbere in Sagbama Local Government Area was said to be in possession of a revolver pistol with five rounds of 9mm ammunition when he was nabbed by the police.

    A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asinim Butswat confirm the arrest of the suspect popularly called Grade.

    Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)said the suspect was trailed and apprehended by the Surveillance Team of the command’s monitoring unit.

    He said: “On 13 December, 2018, at about 1330 hours, the Surveillance team of the Command Monitoring unit, acted on a tip-off and arrested one James Oweifa ‘m’ 22 years, a native of Agbere Community, Sagbama LGA.

    “The suspect a notorious Icelanders cultists AKA Grade, was arrested in possession of a locally made revolver pistol with five rounds of. 9mm live ammunition. Investigation is ongoing to arrest his cohorts”.

    He further said that stop and search operations embarked upon by operatives of the police command in Yenagoa metropolis was yielding positive results.

    Speaking on the success of the operations, he said: “On 14 December, 2018, at about 1120 hours, Policemen on Stop and Search operations, arrested one Ayibamiebi David ‘m’ 20 years, AKA Desperado in a tricycle along Ekeki Road, Yenagoa.

    “The suspect a notorious Icelanders cultists is a native of Opuama Community, Southern Ijaw LGA, he was arrested in possession of a locally made pistol. Investigation is ongoing”.

  • Police comb Owo forests for kidnappers

    Men of the Ondo State Police Command yesterday embarked on a massive raid of suspected criminal hideouts especially kidnappers within the state.

    The development was in an attempt to take the battle of crime detention and prevention to the doorsteps of hoodlums.

    The operation, led by Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adeyanju also involved the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Operations Abdullahi Mudashiru, Mobile men, Anti-cultism squad and men of Federal Anti Robbery Squad, among others.

    Command spokesman Femi Joseph said the thick forest of Amorin and Uso communities near Owo and adjoining bushes were massively raided.

    He said some of the miscreants on sighting the police fled while their hideouts were dismantled.

    Joseph said the villagers commended the police and pledged their co-operation in the efforts to completely rid the state of crimes and criminality.

    Joseph added that men of the anti-kidnapping section have prevented a kidnap attempt in Ore, headquarters of Odigbo local government.

    He said when acting on a tip off, the police engaged a gang of kidnappers who on sighting the police opened fire at them.

    In the process, he said one of the hoodlums was hacked down by the police while others fled into the bush with bullet wounds.

     

  • Civil Defence apprehends three suspected kidnappers

    Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested three suspected kidnappers. They were alleged to have terrorised residents of Pandogari in Rafi Local Government.

    The suspects, Yahaya Mohammed, 25, Muritala Isa, 30 and Abdullahi Adamu, 32, were nabbed following a tip- off.

    NSCDC state Commandant Philip Ayuba said immediately they got the information, the suspects were placed under surveillance and arrested after adequate intelligence had been gathered.

    He said the suspects had called Adamu Hassan, demanding N10 million ransom or risk being kidnapped.

    “The victim, after negotiation with the suspects, was asked to pay N4 million, which he would drop at an agreed collection point at Rafi Sanyi. He reported the incident to our men, who took up the matter.”

  • Kidnappers devise new strategy

    Abductors have devised a new method of operation in Akoko, Ondo State.

    The Nation learnt that they hire ‘compromised’ okada riders, who usually carry passengers and drop them for the kidnappers.

    A victim, Alhaji Abdulazeez Umar, who was coming from Ogbagi-Akoko, said the motorcyclist charged him N200 on the pretext that he usually carried two passengers.

    Umar said: “When we got to the middle of the road, near Okeagbe, the okada rider told me that his motorcycle was faulty and he would call one of his colleagues to carry me.

    “Not quite three minutes, three hefty men, armed, came out from hiding and marched me into the bush. That was around 10:30am.

    “For almost three hours, we were in the bush. They snatched my belongings. When we got to a location, I saw two persons already tied and guarded by two gunmen.”

    He said the kidnappers tortured him.

    Umar said it was when they slept off, due to stress that he escaped and found himself at Omuo in Ekiti State where he begged for fare from good Samaritans and headed for his hometown.

    Contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Okeagbe-Akoko, Adetaranmi Ibitayo, a Superintendent of Police (SP), said the case had not been reported.

    He urged the public to always report criminal cases to the police for investigation.

  • We worked hard to rescue Agom Adara from kidnappers – El-Rufai

    As he mourned the late Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada Galadima who was killed by kidnappers, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State has explained that, his government and the security agents worked strenuously to rescue the traditional ruler from his abductors.

    Governor El-Rufai in a statement by his media aide, Samuel Aruwan said, he is pained and heartbroken that criminal elements have taken away from a man who did his best for peace and harmony in Kaduna State.

    Read Also:Kidnappers release Africa’s youngest billionaire, nine days after

    Governor El-Rufai described Dr. Galadima as a man of peace and a traditional ruler who consistently made positive contributions for the peace and tranquility in his Chiefdom and the entire state.

    According to the Governor, “the Kaduna State Government regrets to announce the death of HRH Agom Adara, Dr. Maiwada Galadima. We mourn this quintessential traditional ruler who was killed by his abductors in the early hours of today.

    “We are pained and heartbroken that criminal elements have taken away from us a man who did his best for peace and harmony.

    “The Kaduna State Government extends its condolence to the family of this revered leader and to the people of the chiefdom he led with dedication and commitment.

    “Following the abduction of the royal father, the security agencies and the government worked strenuously to secure his release. Government is shocked and disappointed by this unfortunate development. The government of Kaduna State and security agencies will pursue justice for this revered man.

    “Dr. Galadima was a man of peace, a traditional ruler who consistently made positive contributions for the peace and tranquility in his Chiefdom and the entire state. He was a gentleman to the core.

    “Kaduna State has lost a cherished leader. Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai on behalf of the government and people of the state extends deep sympathy to the immediate family and the people of the Adara Chiefdom.

    “The government also wishes to appeal for calm in the chiefdom and beyond. The criminal elements that have done this heinous deed should not be allowed to further divide us,” El-Rufai said.

  • Kidnappers release Africa’s youngest billionaire, nine days after

    Tanzanian billionaire, Mohammed Dewji, returned home yesterday a freeman, nine days after he was kidnapped by gunmen in the capital, Dar es Salaam.

    Dewji,43, with a net worth of $1.5 billion, was dropped off in an area of Dar es Salaam, by his kidnappers, according to police Inspector General Simon Sirro.

    The police said they were on the trail of the kidnappers.

    Dewji is the CEO of the METL Group family conglomerate.

    The Mo Dewji Foundation, a charity established by the billionaire, quoted him on Twitter as thanking “the authorities of Tanzania, including the police force for working for my safe return.”

     

  • Save Birnin Gwari from kidnappers

    Sir: As I write this, there are innocent people in the hands of kidnappers. In a span of about two weeks almost a dozen of people have been kidnapped along Birnin Gwari – Kaduna and Funtua highways. One pathetic case is that of a couple that in captivity ever since. The kidnappers are demanding for an outrageous of money as ransom. I think government at all levels need to find a lasting solution to this menace. It doesn’t require rocket science to track and capture this criminal elements. We live in the 21st century for God sake.

    Birnin Gwari has been in the news for the wrong reasons for quite some time now. From armed banditry, cattle rustling, attack on defenseless villagers, attack on security personnel to kidnapping on its highways of recent. The location of Birnin Gwari is strategic. It shares a boundary with three states namely: Zamfara, Katsina and Niger states. The major highway Lagos – Kaduna road runs through the township. This makes this road important to the economy of the two zones considering that heavy duty trucks find it convenient to ply this route in moving goods and services between the two zones. Not until recently when the volume of traffic has drastically reduced.

    The consequences of this is that the traffic of heavy duty and articulated have been diverted to roads in Niger state and the Abuja – Kaduna – Kano express road and it is causing destruction of the road infrastructures in these places. The closeness of Birnin Gwari to some troubled communities in Zamfara State is a factor in this current problem because armed gangs and bandits readily flee way from security agents when they are under pressure to Birnin Gwari. While in Birnin Gwari, they continue to perpetrate their heinous acts.

    From 2015 to date, prominent political figures have visited the local government area amidst the heavy presence of security personnel with promises of finding lasting solution to the criminality that has persisted. Even though government has intervened on several occasions through security agencies with short time success, the problem has still refused to die down.

    The shocking thing about the spate of kidnapping in Birnin Gwari is that you don’t have to go very far to come in contact with a kidnap victim or somebody who is a kindred of a victim or a friend. This is alarming. Added to that is demand for heavy ransom depending on the perceived status of the victim which the relatives of the victims have no choice but to pay. Apart from that, victims are subjected to horrible conditions in dense forest or bush. To pay up the ransom, families of victims have to resort selling the properties of the victims and contributing large sums of money to save the life of the victim. If they fail to get their demands, the victims are mercilessly tormented and in extreme cases killed.

    As it is now, the people are left to self-help because the presence of security personnel is not enough and the tactics employed in tackling this menace is not yielding the desired result. Setting up of check points at different intervals along the highway won’t solve the problems. A full scale and sustained offensive involving the all relevant security agencies is the key to finding a lasting solution. Technology can be used to track the camps of the criminals through their mobile phones when they demand for ransom.

    This situation ought not to continue because the enormous economic potentials present in Birnin Gwari in terms of human resources, mineral resources, arable land and its strategic location. The people are predominantly farmers and there is high level of agricultural activities going on. Agriculture has the potential to lift a large number of people out of poverty and Birnin Gwari local government has the potential to contribute immensely to the county’s Gross Domestic Product in the area of agriculture and agro-allied industries.

    The government needs to step up its effort and strategies in coming up with a formidable solution to problem of the people of Birnin Gwari. The least government can do for these people is guarantee security of lives and properties.

     

    • Alhassan Gimba,

    Birnin Gwari.