Bandits shot pregnant pharmacist dead for walking ‘too slow’

Juliana Francis

The Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has arrested a 21-year-old suspected bandit, Umar Adamu alias Meagwua, for being part of the gang that shot and killed a pregnant pharmacist because she was walking too slow and delaying them.

The gang was behind the abduction of the grandchildren of the Kadun State’s Commissioner for Finance. The gang also carried out an attack on the National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Training Centre, Zaria, Kaduna State, where it killed eight people. The gang stormed the centre armed with seven arms; two General-purpose machine guns (GPMG) and five AK47 rifles.

The Force Spokesman, Frank Mba, while briefing journalists about the case, revealed that the gang’s leader, Isah Ibrahim aka Isah Danwasa, was still at large. Adamu was first arrested and then used as bait to catch the informant.

After the gang attacked National Leprosy and Tuberculosis Training Centre, it went to Zangu, behind Ahmadu Bello University and attacked a house. There the members kidnapped a pregnant pharmacist, Hanatu Rufai. While marching her to their hideout, they said she was not walking fast enough and then shot her to death.

Mba said that the gang was also behind the abduction of Professor Alliu Mohammed, a professor at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, (ATU), Bauchi State. During the abduction of the Prof, the bandits killed his son. The trigger-happy bandit was later identified as Nuha Aminu. The gang would later collect a ransom of N10 million before releasing Mohammed.

In another operation, the bandits attacked the owner of Najiwa Filling Station, kidnapped his wife and child, then collected N18 million as ransom.

According to Adamu, he joined the bandits last year, but before then, he was a cattle farmer. It was in the course of his cattle farming that he met Isah, who is also a cattle farmer.

Adamu said: “Isah is also the person that used to supply our gang with guns. After every operation, he would give each of us N2000. After collecting ransom from families of victims, he will ask us to come to the camp inside the forest to collect our share. I refused to go into the forest because my father warned me never to go into the bush.”

The grandchildren of the Commissioner for Finance were also kidnapped, but Adamu insisted that he was not part of those that went for that operation.

He added: “I don’t handle guns; my job is to lead the gang out of the community because I know the terrain. After kidnapping victims, I’ll lead the bandits to where they pack their motorcycles. Whenever they are coming to the village, they’ll park their motorcycles at a safe distance and then walk into the village. Sometimes, they stormed villages around 9pm, 10.30 pm or 11 pm, depending on the terrain.”

Idris Mustapha, 35, is the alleged informant of the bandits. Like others, he is also a cattle farmer. He’s a neighbour to the Commissioner for Finance, Kaduna State.

Mustapha said: “I have a friend called Dambaba, who knows Isah Danwasa. They are cousins and Dambaba sent my number to Isah, the gang leader. Isah called and introduced himself, adding that he wanted me to be buying drugs for his cows. He insisted that I should bring the drugs into the bush, because he didn’t like entering town during the day time. He sent N20,000 first through one Bagobili, that I should buy the drugs and bring it to their camp. When I said I wouldn’t do it, Isah threatened to come to our village at night, take all our cows, and kill me. I was scared, so I had to agree to his demands. I bought the drugs and gave them to Bagobiri to take to Isah.  Isah sent money thrice; the second time was N30, 000 and the third was N25, 000. The last one I bought, Isah said I should come to the camp to deliver it myself.  When I got there, I saw members of the gang all armed with AK 47 rifles.  Isah said that he asked me to do a job for him, but that I refused. He said if I didn’t want him to storm our village to take all our cattle and kill me that I should cooperate with him. He gave me food and escorted me to the major road to return home. He told me to feed him with information about people who have money or cattle inside Zaria city. We started communicating through the phone. He sent one Idi and another person to me. They came, and I pointed out the Commissioner’s house to them. Even the father of those children and I are close. The same Idi came in a motorcycle to survey the place. After some time, the gang came back at night, but the Commissioner was not at home. The gang didn’t kill anybody. I was given N10, 000 for giving information on how to abduct the Commissioner’s grandchildren.”