Rebecca Ejifoma
The Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) unit of the Nigeria Police has arrested four members of a kidnap gang, including a taxi driver in Rivers State, for allegedly kidnapping one Hussena Adamu in Port Harcourt, River State.
The suspects are Isiaka Hamidu, 30; Nwasaneo Goodluck, 34; Victor Nwidee, 29, and the taxi driver, ThankGod Bariledun, 36.
According to a police report, Hussena, wife of Musa Ahmad, a Port Harcourt-based businessman, was whisked away at gunpoint near Casablanca Club in Port Harcourt on March 31, 2022.
Acting on credible information, operatives of the DCP Tunji Disu-led police team arrested four of the six-man gang.
The kidnappers were said to have kept Hussena in their den at Bori Khana Local Government Area for seven days before her husband paid N20million ransom to free her.
In his confession, Hamidu, who said he used to deal in parrots and peacocks in Port Harcourt, told the police that he contacted other members of the criminal gang after he traced and got all the information on the victim.
He told the IRT team that one of his brothers served the victim’s husband for 11 years and the man only settled him with N250, 000 after he decided to get married this year.
The key suspect further stated that after the money was paid to his brother, he was not happy with the businessman, hence, he decided to kidnap him or any of his family members as a reprisal.
Hamidu also hinted that he alone privately contracted Goodluck, his long-time friend. He narrated his plot to him and they planned and carried out the kidnapping.
The suspect said he collected N1.3 million from the victim after they successfully took the woman into captivity.
In his account, Goodluck, who said he is a Higher National Diploma holder from Abia State Polytechnic Aba, admitted that Hamidu contacted him, and then they called the gang leader who later invited other gang members.
Goodluck said he got N5.5 million to share with three other gang members, while he took N2 million, he gave ThankGod the same amount while Hamidu got N1.3 million and Victor got N500,000.
The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Usman Alkali Baba, had earlier directed the flushing out of all kidnappers terrorising Nigeria.
He also charged the police teams to always ensure diligent prosecution of all criminals arrested in connection with such crimes in the interest of justice and citizens security.
