The duo of Aminu Lawal (aka Kano) and Murtala Dawu (aka Mugala), both working in synergy with the kidnap kingpin known as Yellow Ashana, have allegedly confessed to the police, of the kidnap of the students of the Greenfield University in Kaduna State a couple of months ago.
According to a statement from the Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the duo also confessed to the murder of two police officers and one vigilante in 2021. “They equally confessed to the kidnap and the mindless murder of five victims before the payment of ransom, and eventual release of the others.”
He said that the two suspects, who were among the 31 criminals arrested within the week, have been operating around Dan Hunu, Kekebi, Dan Busha Rido, Maraban Rido, and Kumi Sata, all in Kaduna State.
The Force spokesman said that the Force Intelligence Bureau Special Tactical Squad (FIB-STS) operatives, working with the directives from the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, clamped down on the perpetrators of crimes and criminality, as well as cutting off their supply of arms.
He said that among the 31 suspects arrested are those connected with major violent crimes, including Kidnapping, Culpable Homicide, Rape, Unlawful Possession of Firearms, adding that the FIB-STS operatives caught up with them in March, 2022, after being on their trail upon the mention of their names in connection to the kidnapping of Bethel Baptist School students in 2021.
According to him, another five-man trans-border syndicate who carries out kidnapping operations in between Adamawa State in Nigeria, and Burha, Fituha, and Kesu in Cameroun were also arrested in the operations.
“The gang, which comprises Abubakar Mohammed aged 28 years old, Shehu Mohammed aged 38 years old, Abdullahi Ali aged 30 years old, Abubakar Ali, aged 18 years old, and Hussaini Sule aged 18 years old, all males from Mubi, Adamawa State, targets wealthy individuals who possess beautiful houses or cars.
“They confessed to the kidnap and multiple rape of a newly wedded woman at Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno state whom they released upon receipt of a million Naira ransom. “They were apprehended by operatives of the FIB-STS after collecting a ransom sum of 2 million Naira for one Alhaji Moni of Buladega Village on the 11th of May, 2022.
“The FIB-STS equally recovered a total of 61 firearms including 41 AK rifles, 8 Type 06 rifles, 4 Light Assault Rifles (LAR), 4 pump action guns, 2 locally made firearms, 1 G3 rifle, 1 dane gun, 376 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, and cash sum of two million Naira, from the suspects in the course of investigations.
“Operatives of the FIB-STS equally apprehended the duo of Umar Muhammed aged 40 years old from Mitchika in Adamawa State, and Musa Buba aged 29 years old from Hong in Adamawa State, who are famous for their kidnapping activities. They were arrested at the market, upon credible intelligence that they would be there to buy food items for their kidnap victims. They confessed to many heinous crimes including the killing and beheading of one Alhaji Mai Gome, even after ransom payment had been made.
“The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, while commending the FIB-STS operatives for the successes recorded, assured that all criminal elements will be smoked out of their hiding places and would answer to their crimes in due course.
“All the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.”
