Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The joint counter kidnapping operation conducted by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command wednesday, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and other security agencies, has smashed a kidnapping syndicate and arrested 26 suspects.
The joint operation was carried out at the wake rising incidence of kidnapping in the nation’s capital, which include the recent kidnap of a police inspector, a personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp who later died and several others.
The FCT Police Commissioner, Bala Ciroma, who paraded the kidnappers led by one Usman Abdullahi said the kidnappers at various times collected ransoms ranging from N8 million to N13 million from families of kidnapped victims while some of the victims lost their lives in the their hands.
Ciroma narrated that the suspects were arrested in several hideouts in Kuje, Kwali and Abaji area councils during the joint operation, which was tagged ‘Operation Sharan Daji.’
He said the command recovered four locally fabricated firearms, one dane gun with 10 rounds cylinder loader, four cartridges, three cutlasses, three face masks and 24 wraps of Indian hemp and charms.
Police operatives also arrested a member of another kidnap gang named Juri Abubakar whose gang terrorised residents of Yangoji while he was on his way to supply food to the kidnap gang in their hideout.
His arrest followed a tip off that a victim kidnapped by the gang was in a den and the gang members were expecting payment of ransom.
“Before the police team got to the den of the kidnappers, they escaped thereby scuttling the ransom payment.
“Concerted efforts are being made to arrest alleged members of the gang whose names were given as Ibrahim Usman, Dahiru, Jayah, Saidu and Awalu.
Similarly, police operatives attached to Abaji Division has arrested another five-man kidnap gang including a student of the University of Abuja who said the money they made from kidnapping was used to “attend night clubs.”
The alleged members of the gang are Zaharadeen Abubakar, 23 years, Hamza Garba, 25 years, Usman Ibrahim, 25 years, Jubril Yusuf, 24 years and Ismail Omadivi, 20 years old.
They were nabbed when the victim they attempted to kidnap and demand the sum of N500,000 informed the police and was asked to play along by the police.
Meanwhile, a 65-year old alleged rapist, Demi Ejegi, was arrested by Police operatives from Mabushi Division when he was caught in the act of defiling a 3-year old child.
The pedophile stated that he was sharing a meal with the child when the urge to violate the victim came over him.
The police operatives also arrested alleged “one chance” fraudsters that were terrorising bus passengers in Karimo, Nyanya, Kubwa and Zuba roads in the FCT.
They include Ezenwodo Orioha, Pascal Chijioke, George Okoro, Abraham Success Abba, Ngozi (female) and Elizabeth Arokayo.
