The Yobe State Police Command has arrested the kingpin of a kidnapping syndicate that operates between Potiskum, Fune, and Nangere Local Government Areas of the state.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim, who disclosed this in a statement, said the kingpin, Barum Alh Makau, 40, of Ashawa via Kyari Village, and one other associate, Rufai Alh Labe, 27, of Dadin Kowa Horon Garim Gombe State, were arrested a day after abducting their victims, a 40-year-old woman and her 25-year-old son, at Gelel Village under Fune LGA.
Abdulkarim said the kidnappers released the son and gave him a bullet from an AK-47 rifle to give to his uncle, demanding a ransom of N7 million for the mother and N5 million for the son.
“The culprits a gang of four after a moment of abducting their Victims later released the son and gave him a piece of Ammunition 7.62mm calibre of Ak 47 Riffle to give his uncle to spare his life or would be killed and to tell him the amount demanded as a ransom; which is N7,000.000.00 ( Seven Million Naira ) for his mother and N5,000.000.00(Five Million Nair) to paid as soon as possible,” the statement reads.
It continued, “Meanwhile, they took the mother to a nearby farm in Ashawa Village where she was kept hostage in a grass hut in the middle of the farm, blindfolded and tight with heavy metal chains in both hands and legs”.
“The kidnappers met their Waterloo based on credible information swift action was taken by Police Operatives and led to the arrest of the kingpin while some members of the syndicate fled but the Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, expressed assurance to arrest the fleeing syndicate in no distance time as police detectives were on the chase”.
“However, discreet Investigation is currently ongoing at the state CID where recoveries of weapons used in penetration of the crime are unravelled. Five Live Ammunition pump action guns and one single live ammunition 7.62 mm, AK47 rifle, cutlass, bow and arrow and locally made bulletproof jacks were recovered.
The Command reiterated its commitment towards sanitizing the state of such type of criminal elements and urged for more support from the populace”.
