3 arrested with N6.4m ransom share during ‘stop and search’ in Kwara

The Police Command in Kwara State said it had arrested three suspected kidnappers with their share of ransom from recent operations while on stop and search duty.

The incident happened along Bode Saadu Road, Malete, Moro Local Government Area, when the officers intercepted a commercial vehicle around 11:50 hours on February 20, 2024.

Other items recovered from them include 7 assorted brands of mobile phones and 2 wristwatches.

The names of the suspects were given as Umar Usman, Mustapha Mohammed and Abubakar Kugu.

Speaking on the incident weekend, the state Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, said the suspects could not provide a satisfactory account of the items found in their possession.

“In the course of investigation, the suspects confessed to the crime of kidnapping. Usman admitted that he belongs to a gang of kidnappers operating in Yauri, Kebbi State and the money recovered from him was his share of their recent operation, wherein the gang received a ransom of N10 million from a victim named Alhaji Abdullahi Mohammed.

“Similarly, Mohammed confessed that the money found in his possession was his share from the ransom received from the kidnapping of a resident of Bida, Niger State’, he added.

Olaiya said investigations are underway to unravel more information regarding the past exploits of the criminal gang.

According to him “This is with a view to recovering firearms used during their operations and apprehending other members of the gang before they will be arraigned in court”.