The Nigeria Police Force says a notorious kidnapper on the Abuja-Kaduna and Abuja-Lokoja highways, Mohammed Ahmadu, was abducted by another kidnap gang and forced to part with N1.55 million as ransom to secure his freedom.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba disclosed this while parading Ahmadu and other kidnap suspects on Monday.
According to Mba, the victim was visiting the other kidnap gang’s camp to sell ammunition when he was held.
The police image-maker further disclosed that the kidnap gang that kidnapped Ahmadu shot him in the arm after he delayed in paying the demanded ransom.
Mba identified Abubakar Umaru aka Buba Bargu, 35, who was also arrested, as the leader of the gang that abducted Ahmadu.
The police spokesman said that Ahmadu and Umaru were two of eighteen criminal suspects arrested for offences of armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other violent crimes.
He added that eight AK47 rifles, one SMG sterling gun, 236 AK47 Ammunition, 12 pieces of SMG sterling gun ammunition, two Toyota Camry Saloon Cars, 2006 and 2014 models (already released to the owners), were recovered from them.
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He said that Umaru was notorious for killing his victims, and rose to the leadership of the gang after security forces eliminated the gang leader and his second-in-command.
Mba further said that, Umaru, a native of Kato Shiroro area of Niger State, was nabbed by the operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS).
“Ahmadu is also known as ‘Confirm’ because he was a reputed marksman in the underworld. Yet, he was kidnapped and released after he paid N1.55m,” the FPRO said.
Ahmadu, who admitted being involved in kidnapping for the past three years, confessed that the gang abducted him after he supplied 90 rounds of live ammunition to Umaru.
He accused Umaru’s gang of being in league with dreaded terror group, Boko Haram.
On his escapades in the underworld, Ahmadu said, “I have saved up to N15m from these nefarious activities. I witnessed an operation where Buba (Umaru) kidnapped 55 persons from a luxurious bus at a time.”
Mba said that five AK47 rifles, five magazines and 120 rounds of AK47 ammunition were recovered from Umaru at his hideout in the Forest.