Suspected kidnappers of governor’s mother-in-law arrested

Juliana Francis

Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT), have arrested suspected kidnappers of the state governor’s mother-in-law, Hajiya Hauwa Yusuf (65).

The suspects were alleged to be part of the deadly gang of robbers and kidnappers that had been terrorizing, not just the Katsina State, but also Kano and Zamfara states.

According to the IRT operatives, arms and ammunition, and hard drugs, were recovered from the suspects. The team also arrested the arms and hard drugs suppliers.

A police source explained: “The arrest of the suspects was sequel to the recent abduction of the mother-in-law to Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State on February 8, at her residence in Katsina. Acting on the instructions of the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, operatives of IRT, attached to Operation Puff Adder, launched a massive manhunt for the kidnappers. After serious and unrelenting follow up, the kidnappers were arrested. The IRT operatives also recovered arms and ammunition from them and arrested suppliers of their weapons. The suspects have confessed to the kidnapping and robberies in Katsina State. The gang leader and mastermind behind the kidnapping were also arrested.”

Some of the suspects are; Abdullahi M. Sani (23), Abubakar Dani (21) Sabuwar Unguwa, Marwana Gide (25), Rabe Hamza (35) aka Tankabaje, Abdulkarim Aliyu (20), Musa Yakubu (21), Abubakar Abdullahi (25) and Napkon Sambo (31), who is the Chief arms supplier to the gang.

There is also Haruna Adamu (31), who used to transport arms and ammunitions to the gang, Taiwo Abayomi (28), Ali Samaila (45), Abubakar Sulaiman (30) and Ibrahim Bille (30). All the suspects were tracked to their hideouts and arrested in Plateau, Kano, Katsina and Abuja.

The police source further stated: “The suspects have confessed to the kidnapping of the governor’s mother-in-law. They have also revealed how they negotiated, collected ransom and shared it. One of the kidnappers led the IRT team to a new provision shop, which he opened with the ransom money. He has also bought lands, and houses.”

Items recovered from the suspects are one AK47 rifle, 22 magazines, 1,000 Ak47 live ammunitions, 200 cartridges, phones belonging to the victims and used for ransom negotiations and two motorcycles used for their operations were equally recovered by IRT operatives from the kidnappers.