The Nigerian Police Force, on Monday, paraded some arrested suspects, including a ‘kidnap kingpin’, Mohammed Ahmadu also known as ‘CONFIRM’, operating along Lokoja-Abuja; Abuja-Kaduna highways and other major highways in the North-Central States of the country for various criminal activities.
The suspects, who were arrested by the operatives of the Special Tactical Squad (STS) of the Police for armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, car theft and other violent crimes, said they had collected ransom running into hundreds of million Naira from their victims.
Police also “arrested five members: Godspower Ebogie ‘m’, Samede Miracle ‘m’, Efosa Rowland a.k.a Double ‘m’, Michael Ifeanyi Egwuatu ‘m’ and Ifeanyi Ewurum a.k.a Rati ‘m’, all of an armed robbery syndicate who have their criminal network and base spread across Edo, Delta, Ondo and Lagos States.
Parading the suspects at the headquarters of defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Abuja, Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba, lamented how they (police and other security operatives) were dealing with growing security challenges on daily basis, describing the kidnappers as “monsters”.
He explained that the Force, in its renewed commitment to advance the gains recorded in the fight against crimes in the country, particularly in the outgone year 2020, arrested no fewer than eighteen (18) criminal suspects in 2021 for the offences listed above.
According to him, 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 the suspected criminals.
Notable among the arrests, was that of one Abubakar Umaru alias Buba Bargu, ‘m’, 35 years, native of Kato Shiroro area of Niger State.
Investigations by the Police Team revealed that Abubakar “is a member and armourer of a gang that has carried out several kidnap for ransom operations along Lokoja-Abuja; Abuja-Kaduna highways and other major highways in the North-Central States of the country.”
Abubakar’s group reportedly carried out the abduction of a 30-year-old Mohammed Ahmadu ‘m’, a kidnap kingpin and leader of another notorious kidnapping group in the North-Central when he came to their hideout in the forest to sell live ammunition to the group.
Ahmadu explained to newsmen that he was held and shot in the hand until his gang members paid a ransom of One Million, Five Hundred and Fifty-five Thousand Naira (N1,555,000.00) only, for his release.
Police said five AK47 rifles, five magazines and 120 rounds of AK47 ammunition were recovered from Abubakar Umaru at his hideout in the Forest.