TWO suspected members of a 5-man kidnap gang, have narrated how the gang lured a ginger trader into the bush and kidnapped him, after lying to him that they were farmers and that they had ginger which they wanted to sell to him, Nigerian Tribune .
The gang also killed one of their victims, who lived in the same area with the leader of the gang for the fear that he might expose them after collecting ransom from his family.
The suspected kidnappers were arrested by operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) after weeks of diligent tracking of their activities.
The arrested suspects, 28-year-old Salisu Abdullai and Babangida Usman also confessed to have abducted a bishop in his home, while also saying that they abducted four others and collected huge ransom from them.
THEY SPOKE WITH NEWSMEN:
I was farming and was into cattle rustling before I joined the kidnap gang. I am married with three children. I joined the gang less than one year ago, I have no father, no mother. I joined the gang voluntarily.”
Narrating to journalists how he joined the gang, the suspect said, “So far my gang has kidnapped six persons since I joined them. Our leader surveys the area for prominent persons. He also gathers intelligence on victims after which he informs us on the victim to kidnap. We have kidnapped people from Kushemakaranta, Rafinkinba, Kuditlri, Kwei, along Nasarawa express road , Kurumikari, all in Kaduna State.”
Abdullai further stated that, “One of the victims that we also kidnapped was Chinedu, a business man. He spent three days in our custody in the bush and was released after paying N500,000. He was kidnapped in his house.”
“Our gang leader gave us information about him because he lives in the same area with him. After he paid his ransom, he was killed because he fought with one of us and our leader told us to kill him. ”
“The second victim was also called Chinedu, a trader. He was riding his motorbike to Kagaruko when our leader called us on phone to give us a hint on his route. Our leader rode his motorbike behind Chinedu and gave us information on where he was and where we would strike. We abducted and took him to the bush and collected N700,000 from him.”
“I don’t know the name of the third victim but we collected N700,000 from him. He was kidnapped in the bush. He is a trader and deals in ginger. We told him that we had ginger in the farm and he volunteered to follow us. On the way we kidnapped him.”
He also added that: “The fourth victim was a Reverned Father. We broke into his house at Kushemakaranta around 3:00 a.m. We went with three guns . When we got there, we knocked and he opened the door. He was the only one at home and he didn’t put up any resistance. We also took him to the bush but released him only after N1m ransom was paid on his behalf.”
“We also kidnapped another Reverned father and collected N8millon from his people before we released him,” the suspect also confessed.
Abdullai further stated that, “The sixth victim was picked from the farm and we collected N300,000 from him. My role in the gang is that of a watchman. I watch over kidnapped victims in the bush until ransom is paid for their release. I made N800,000 in all the operations and I used the money to drink and carry women. Nobody knows that I am a kidnapper in the community.”
Another member of the gang ,Babangida claimed to have received just N600 000 (six hundred thousand naira) from all the operations he took part in with the gang . He said ” I have so far made N600,0000. We don’t kidnap women because they are the ones who go looking for money for the release of their husbands.”
The Force Public Relations Officer,Frank Mba confirmed the arrest of the suspects and added that the police were on the trail of other members of the gang.
