My mother was always willing to save me- suspect
Ben Ekezie
Operatives of Force Intelligence Response Team attached to Operation Puff-Adder Base in Kateri village along Abuja-Kaduna expressway, have arrested eight suspected notorious kidnappers and their arm suppliers.
Their arrest was in continuation of efforts by the police high command to end the worrisome rising cases of armed robbery, kidnaping and terrorism in Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Niger, Gombe and Kaduna states.
The suspects who were identified as Iliyasu Saidu, Abdullahi Abubakar, Annas Iliya, Isah Umar, Hassan Shaibu, Ali Ibrahim and Ishaya Davoud are all natives of Plateau State. They all confessed to the police that they are part of a notorious gang, terrorizing Plateau and its environs.
Ali Ibrahim and Ishaya Davoud both admitted to have been supplying all kinds of arms and ammunition to bandits in Plateau, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Taraba and Benue states.
Narrating how he became an unrepentant criminal, Iliyasu Saidu alleged that he was encouraged to continue in the act because his mother was always willing to save him anytime he was arrested by security operatives. “I am 25 and a native of Kamban village in Daffo district of Bokkos area of Plateau. I have been arrested by police severally for criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, cattle rustling and kidnapping. Normally, I would be remanded in prison and my mother will get a lawyer that will ensure that I am released. My father is also aware of it but it is only my mother who will follow it up till I am released. I continued doing criminal activities with my gang members when I came out of prison. My gang members are: Ahmadu Kurma, Abdullahi Abubakar, Badamosi Ardo Yakubu, Abubakar Mohammed, Sky, Zaki, Douglas, Isah Umar and Sabi Audi.
“I have also helped to bail some of our gang members whenever they were arrested by policemen at Bokkos. I will stand as a surety and they will be released. I was arrested because of my involvement in the kidnapping of three female students of Plateau State University, Bokkos.
“I am a notorious gang leader of kidnappers in our community and I have participated in several armed robbery, cattle rustling and kidnapping,” He alleged.
Recounting some of the operations that he participated in, Saidu said that his gang were not greedy as the highest amount they collected was N800.000. “The first operation was the best and we were paid N800,000. We choose to collect any amount presented because we do not have what it takes to keep our victims for long in the forest. We might be caught by our top generals and they will snatch our catch. If they take away your victim, nothing will be given to us when ransom is paid.
“The first person we kidnapped was one woman at Mangar village. We took her to Bodel Forest, and the victim spent three days in captivity. It was one Blessing Simon from Bokkos that brought the job. I got N100,000 as my own share, while we gave the person who masterminded the kidnap N200,000. The next was one woman at Tadai village in Manguna District of Bokkos. We took her to Tadai Forest, and she spent two days and her family were able to raise N70,000.
“Another popular one was when we stormed the Plateau State University, Bokkos, together with Ahmadu, Buba, Badamosi, Abdulahi, Abdul Lawyer, Sabi and Mubarak. We were able to kidnap three female students. Apart from kidnapping, we normally block the highway wearing military uniform that we bought from one military tailor. We rob cars, motorcycles and careless cattle rearers that are not armed. We robbed so many motorcycles that I became a dealer and my customers thought they were fairly used,” He narrated.
The second suspect Abubakar claimed that they spend so much money in acquiring most of the arms they use for kidnapping. He said: “I bought one AK47 riffle from Ali Ibrahim for N370,000, and 30 rounds of ammunition from one Yakubu Joshua for N30,000. Sani, one of our gang members bought one AK47 riffle and ammunition from same Yakubu at the cost of N400,000. Ali Ibrahim also sold another AK47 riffle and ammunition to Ahmadu Kurma at the cost of N500,000. Ali Ibrahim also sold one AK47 riffle and 30 rounds of live ammunition to one Saidu Hashimi for N300,000.
“There is one Igbo man, Ik in Daffo village, Bokkos. He sold two AK47 riffles and 60 rounds of live ammunition to Badamosi Ardo and Yakubu Saidu. The arms are so expensive but it is needed for every successful operation.”
He claimed that the reason why they did not collect much money from the female students was because they also took turns to rape them. “We stormed the University at night and was able to grab three before their security men noticed. We took them to Mangar Forest and demanded N300,000 as their ransom. We promised the girls that we will not keep them for long if they co operate with us. We took turns to rape them that night and in the morning before their family members brought the money.
“Those who participated in the kidnapping are: Abdullahi Abubakar Annas Ilya, Iliyasu, Badamasi Ardo, Sky Bokkos and Zaki Bokkos. We visited their hostel because those women always feel that they are too superior than some us who ride motorcycle in that community. We kidnapped them just for fun because we are aware that students do not have money.
“During all our operations it was only twice that we were forced to kill someone. One was during the kidnap of one Challa man at Ampak village in Mangar LGA of Plateau State. “We took him to Tamushu Forest where he spent one day with us, and we collected a ransom of N300,000. I got a share of N50,000. It was Yakubu Joshua who gave us the job. When the victim refused to follow us inside the bush, Sky shot him dead inside the compound with AK47. We took the elder brother of the victim instead. We held him captive for two days. They paid a ransom of N300,000, and I got N50,000.
“We also broke into one shop at Mangar area. The watchman came out shooting, Badamosi corked his rifle and shot him dead. In fact, I have lost count of the number of armed robbery operation that I participated in especially in Plateau. We have six AK47 riffles, and some of us used to appear in Nigeria Army uniforms that we bought from one man in Daffo village. He sold it to us at N20,000 each,” He stated.
