Crime
Suspect confesses how he kidnap lover to raise money for their wedding
Suspect confesses how he kidnap lover to raise money for their wedding
A 28-year-old kidnap suspect, Bello Ahmed, has confessed that he kidnapped his lover, Miss Hannah Queen at Apo Estate in Abuja to raise money for their traditional marriage.
Bello, who was arrested along with three others allegedly conspired with Ibrahim Mohammed, 30; Bilyamiyu Mohammed, 30; and Uche Daniel 34 to abduct his lover on March 26, 2022, after a carefully-organized plan.
The kidnapped victim, who is a lawyer and daughter of a renowned diplomat was said to have met her lover, Bello in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The four suspects were arrested by operatives of the Force Intelligence Bureau’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) following a report filed at the IRT Headquarters at Guzape by one of the victim’s uncles, ACP Yusuf Sanni.
The police said the suspects were arrested for criminal conspiracy and kidnapping over the well-coordinated kidnap.
However, in his statement, Bello admitted to organising the abduction of his lover because she had put him under pressure to raise money for their traditional marriage.
READ ALSO: Missing Abuja Youth Corper Found Dead
He said, “My lover put so much pressure on me to marry her. So, I was forced to kidnap her to raise the money I needed. I regret my involvement in the act as I couldn’t get the money. I expected that I will be paid the ransom.”
The kidnapped victim was said to be in a relationship with the suspect who lives in Dubai and is also a friend of the parents of the victim.
According to Daily Trust, police investigations revealed that the key suspect had married a wife and had two children in Dubai before relocating to Nigeria.
The investigation also revealed that the suspect had a rented apartment at the aforementioned estate in Abuja upon his relocation to Nigeria based on the relationship.
He was alleged to have brought the other three gang members into the 3-bedroom bungalow apartment three days before the kidnap was arranged by himself when the lady visited him and was relaxing in his living room.
After the criminal gang members took him and his would-be spouse into captivity, he made the victim believe that he had sent N10m to the kidnappers for their release through a fake bank alert, until she discovered the antics and started calling her parents for her release.
The key suspect confessed that they expected a total of N50m as ransom from the parents of the victim so that the gang would get up to at least N10m each.
Further interrogation revealed that Bello had initially planned to marry the lady as a second wife in November 2022, but moved the marriage ceremony forward to July to forestall the possibility of her marriage to a newfound lover.
Exhibits said to have been recovered from the suspects include a hack saw, two masks, one beret cap, one masking tape and one iPhone.
Other exhibits said to have been used by the suspects for the kidnapping and still missing from the house of the key suspect include; three toy guns and an axe
According to the investigative Police Officer, Sergeant Law Okeke, all the suspects are culpable in the crime as all have made useful statements to aid the police investigations into the crime.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, has directed the police authorities on the imperatives of diligent prosecution of the matter in the nation’s law courts for justice to be served on all the suspects involved.
Chinese expatriate dies in Kogi after collapsing at work
By: Zagazola Makama
A 47-year-old Chinese national working as a supervisor at BN Ceramics in Ajaokuta, Kogi State, has died after slumping at his duty post, the police have confirmed.
Sources said that the expatriate, identified as Mr. Luo Zhi Mao, collapsed on Aug. 2 at about 6:30 p.m. while working at the Press Department of the factory.
He was immediately rushed to Covenant Hospital, Ajaokuta, and subsequently referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja. However, due to an ongoing strike by doctors and nurses at FMC, he was later moved to Shifaah Hospital in Lokoja.
At about 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 5, Mr. Luo was confirmed dead at Shifaah Hospital.
His body has been deposited at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy.
Sources said investigations were ongoing to determine the exact cause of death, though no foul play has been suspected at this stage.
The management of BN Ceramics has yet to issue a formal statement on the incident.
Chinese expatriate dies in Kogi after collapsing at work
Crime
Bandits abduct Zamfara monarch after deadly NAF airstrike that kills scores of bandits in Tsafe
Bandits abduct Zamfara monarch after deadly NAF airstrike that kills scores of bandits in Tsafe
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have abducted the traditional ruler of Yankuzo, Alhaji Babangida Kogo, in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State, barely hours after a devastating Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrike killed dozens of bandits in a forest enclave near the area.
The monarch was reportedly abducted on Tuesday evening along the Mararraba axis as he attempted to flee his community amid fears of reprisal attacks by the terrorists.
Sources confirmed to Zagazola Makama that the abduction was carried out by a large group of armed men riding on over 10 motorcycles. The assailants intercepted the monarch and his entourage near the abandoned farm of the late Alhaji Malami Yandoto and took him away, leaving others behind.
The abduction followed a precision airstrike carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji on the same day, targeting a large bandit assembly believed to be a wedding or celebratory gathering in a forest location between Yankuzo and Munhaye.
Zagazola gathered that the air raid followed credible intelligence and aerial surveillance, which tracked the movement of over 100 armed bandits converging at the location. The strike led to the killing of scores of terrorists and left many others wounded.
Security sources said the gathering was attended by fighters loyal to notorious bandit kingpins operating in the Tsafe–Zurmi axis, some of whom had crossed over from neighboring forests in Katsina and Sokoto states.
“The impact was massive, charred bodies and destroyed motorcycles littered the area after the strike,”said a source.
Following the air raid, fear gripped surrounding villages, with many residents fleeing in anticipation of retaliatory attacks by the surviving bandits.
“We knew they would strike back. That’s why our district head was leaving. Unfortunately, he ran into them before reaching safety,” said a Yankuzo resident who requested anonymity for security reasons.
Local vigilante sources confirmed that efforts were ongoing to trace the whereabouts of the abducted monarch. Military ground troops have also been deployed to the area to prevent further attacks.
The abduction point to the growing desperation of bandit groups under sustained military pressure in Zamfara and the wider North West region.
Bandits abduct Zamfara monarch after deadly NAF airstrike that kills scores of bandits in Tsafe
Gunmen in military uniform abduct passengers in Benue
By: Zagazola Makama
Suspected armed men dressed in military camouflage have abducted at least four passengers from a commercial bus along the Otukpo axis of Benue State.
Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident occurred on Aug. 3 at about 10:00 p.m. near Mechanic Village in Otukpo, when a commercial Hummer bus, en route from Abia State to Otukpo, was attacked by the assailants.
Sources said that the gunmen, believed to be Fulani herdsmen, whisked away between four and five passengers to an unknown destination.
One of the passengers, Sandra Okoh, a resident of Otobi Akpa, managed to escape during the attack and was later found during a joint search and rescue operation by the Nigerian Troops.
She told the security forces that her husband, Okoh Mike, was among those abducted. She also alleged that the bus driver fled the scene with passengers’ luggage and failed to report the incident to any nearby police station.
The security forces have since launched a manhunt for the suspects and intensified efforts to rescue the kidnapped victims.
Gunmen in military uniform abduct passengers in Benue
Separating facts from propaganda on alleged civilian casualties in Yankuzo, Zamfara
Education: Zulum upgrades infrastructure, teachers’ welfare
Police arrest suspected gunrunners, recover eight firearms in Kaduna
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