Police arrest two suspected kidnappers in Niger
By Collins Mbakwe
The Police in Niger State said they have arrested two suspected kidnappers in connection to the killing of Abubakar Yahaya, the village head of Gusasse in Bosso Local Government Area.
After killing Mr Yahaya, the attackers kidnapped his daughter and collected a ransom of N1.5 million before releasing her.
The spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, told journalists in Minna, the capital of the state, that the suspects also killed on Manir, during the operation.
He said the assailants shot Abubakar Yahaya, the village head, and kidnapped his daughter to an unknown destination.
He stated that the kidnappers also abducted one Hassan Gusasse.
“Consequently, based on these recent incidents in Beji and its environs, Police operatives attached to FIB tactical squad arrested the two suspects based on a tip-off on March 31, 2023, ” he said.
The suspects are Risku Suleiman, 34, and Haruna Umar, 20, who both hail from Kupa village in Garatu, along Bida Road.
“During interrogation, Risku confessed that he had been committing cattle rustling with his father, one Suleiman Aga’ala who was convicted for cattle rustling in Angwan-Maireke village, in Beji.
“He further confessed that he (Risku) conspired with his friend, Umar Awara from Lokoja, who equally invited eight others from Zamfara [namely] Idrisu, Shadai, Yeli, Yusuf, and others presently at large, with the said Haruna Umar.
“He said the syndicate is responsible for the death of the village head, and that N1.5 million ransom was collected for the release of his daughter recently, while the same amount was also collected for the release of Alh. Hassan Gusasse,” he said.
The police spokesperson added that an effort is ongoing to arrest Umar Awara and other members of the syndicate while those arrested will be arraigned in court for prosecution as soon as the investigation is concluded.
