Gombe State Police Command on Wednesday displayed the body of a suspected kidnapper and three other suspects arrested in connection with the kidnap of Babayo Magaji at Pinga.
The slain kidnap suspect identified simply as Ustas was killed during a gunfire exchange with the policemen who traced them to the bush where the kidnapped victim was taken.
The state commissioner of police, Maikudi Shehu who briefed journalists on the incident said the victim was kidnapped from his home on Monday.
“This particular incident happened on Monday where the victim, Babayo Magaji was kidnapped from his home by seven armed men, all of them Fulanis. They led him into the bush and got to a rock somewhere and they decided to rest. It was while they were resting that their victim, Magaji escaped and drew the attention of the people who were living around the area and so the vigilante, hunters, and the police were informed,” he said.
He said Magaji led the police hunters and vigilante to the scene of the incident and as soon as the kidnappers sighted the police, they opened fire.
The commissioner said it was in the exchange of gunshots that one of them was shot dead and another one escaped with bullet wounds.
“Incidentally, all of them came from Adamawa to kidnap the man with the belief that they will be able to get so much money from him because he has a lot of cattle. Aminu Musa from Song Local government was arrested at a motor park. Another suspect was arrested while trying to board a vehicle at Pinga to Adamawa,” he said.
He also told journalists that the person that sent them to go and kidnap Magaji has also been picked up by the police.
Magaji while speaking with journalists said he was asked to pay a ransom of N300, 000 to secure his release from his kidnappers.
“I was in n my house when they came and picked me up,” he said.
The commissioner said “out of seven kidnap suspects, we have arrested three; we have a corpse of one of them who is called Ustas while three others are presently on the run. Incidentally, we have a similar case that happened around the same axis so we are trying to see how we can link the two together.”
He said the second gang of kidnappers was trying to kidnap a person when the police ran into them and opened fire.
According to him, when the exchange of fire power became hot, they ran away living behind their two motorcycles and a Kalashnikov rifle at the scene.
He said the police are still investigating to know whether it is the same syndicate that is operating in the area and assured the public that the police will do everything to ensure that people can sleep with their two eyes closed.
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