Why I abducted my elder brother, killed his seven-year-old son

Juliana Francis

IG, Mohammed Adamu

A suspected kidnapper, Salahatu Haruna, 30, has given reasons for abducting his elder brother, Yakubu Haruna and killing his seven-year-old nephew at Bingiyaro area of Kaduna State.

Salahatu confessed to this crime after he was arrested by Operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Response Team (IRT). Arrested along with him are, Isa Yakubu and Umaru Musa.

Indeed, Musa was paid allegedly paid N10, 000 for knowing about the planned abduction of Yakubu, but kept quiet about it.

Salahatu organised the gang that abducted his elder brother. On the fateful night of the abduction of Yakubu, the kidnappers opened fire and shot the victim’s son on his head. He died immediately.

The kidnappers would later demand for N3million and after negotiation, N1million ransom was collected from Yakubu for his freedom. Salahatu was given N200, 000 as his share of the ransom.

He was, however, busted when he started throwing money around. Some members of his village, suspicious of him of his sudden financial prowess, tipped-off operatives of the IRT. The operatives launched investigation and soon found out that Salahatu had a hand in his brother’s abduction and nephew’s death.

The operatives are still looking for three other people, including a female, who worked with Salahatu to carry out the operation.

Salahatu, married with two wives, has nine children and lives in Chiaoro village in Bingiyaro area of Kaduna State. He described himself as a farmer, who deals in tomatoes. His father is married to two wives and has12 children.

While he deals in tomatoes, his elder brother, Yakubu is a maize farmer. Yakubu, 40, is the first child in the family.

Yakubu has eight children and built his own house, while Salahatu, with his wives and children, continued to live with their father.

Salahatu said: “I wasn’t angry with my elder brother, but I organised his abduction because I had no money or food to feed my wives and nine children. I equally do not have enough money to spend as a man. I was too ashamed to beg my brother for money because there is a sort of rivalry between his wives and mine. Since we live in the same compound, I have been monitoring my brother to know when he would have much money with him. When I noticed that he had money, I invited three of my friends who I could trust. They are Julie, Usman and Ikira. I told them didn’t have money as my elder brother and that I had like him to be kidnapped for ransom. They all agreed to the plan; Ikira brought an Ak-47 rifle and we also agreed that on the day to strike. I would supposed to point out my brother’s house to them. 

“On the fateful night they came, I did as we had planned, but the moment they broke down his door, my brother’s seven-year-old son ran out of the house to know what was happening and Ikira shot him on the head. The boy died on the spot.  Julie, Usman and Ikira took my brother away into the bush in Sabo-Bingiga. The women in the house started shouting, attracting attention of people. People came out of their houses with torch to find out what was going. I went into my brother’s house and discovered that my nephew was dead, I started crying. We carried his corpse into the house. My father came to inspect it; he instructed us to bury him in the morning and we did. A search party was formed to search for my brother, but it was futile. Everybody was overwhelmed with the killing of my nephew. The kidnappers later contacted one of my uncles. They got the number from Yakubu. This was exactly eight days after his abduction. The kidnappers asked for N3million as ransom. We negotiated and brought it down to N1million. One of our relatives, Musa was the person that took the N1million ransom to the kidnappers. My brother was released 10 days after captivity. Four days later, one of the kidnappers, Usman, brought my share of the ransom, N200, 000, to me.   I gave N20, 000 to Isa and Umaru because they knew about the operation. They were also the people that kept the guns for the kidnappers before they struck.  I used N80, 000 to cultivate tomatoes, which were later destroyed by flood. I bought a land with N100, 000.   The incident occurred four months ago and until my arrest, my family members were not aware that I masterminded the kidnapping of my elder brother and killing of his son. I’m pained that I got my nephew killed.  I believe that it was my nephew’s destiny to die young. I want the Police to give me a second chance.”

One of the suspects, Isa Yakubu, 35, father of six children and two wives, is also a tomatoes farmer.

He said: “Salahatu is my friend and both of us deal in tomatoes business. He had once told me that he wanted to kidnap his elder brother. I tried to convince him not to kidnap his brother, but he told me that he has already perfected plans with some people to carry out the kidnapping. I left the case like that because I didn’t want to betray our friendship. Two days before the kidnapping, Salahatu brought an Ak-47 rifle to me. He asked me to keep it for him. On the night they needed the rifle for the operation, the kidnappers came and collected it. I felt so sad when I heard that Yakubu’s seven-year-old boy was killed. I’m guilty because I didn’t raise the alarm; perhaps the boy wouldn’t have been killed. God would have blessed me for saving the life of the innocent boy and all I got was just N10, 000.”