Informant helps gang kidnap father for N2 million ransom

Officers of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested an informant who participated in the kidnapping and extortion of his biological father.

Force spokesperson, Frank Mba, said during a media parade of suspects in Abuja on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 that Abubakar Ahmodu was responsible for spying on and identifying potential victims for his kidnap gang.

The 20-year-old allegedly provided intimate details about his father who was eventually kidnapped by the gang.

The suspect's father was not released by the gang until after he had paid a ransom of N2 million, according to the Police.

A member of the gang, identified as Ibrahim Idris, a.k.a Naira, had been arrested by police officers on January 7 after the gang's victim provided information against him.

It was Idris who led the authorities to Ahmodu, and another member of the gang identified as 42-year-old Abubakar Yusuf, a.k.a Ndalati.

Another suspect paraded on Wednesday was Abubakar Aliyu, 27, a security staff of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria who allegedly provided information to a gang responsible for kidnapping many staff members of the university.

He provided information to the gang on the movement and lifestyle of the victims who were sometimes kidnapped alongside their families in a series of recent abductions around the institution.

Other gang members arrested following police investigations and rescue operations for the kidnap victims are Aliyu Bello, 18; Ishaku Kabiru, 30; and Abubakar Yakubu, 23.

All 25 suspects paraded on Wednesday will be charged to court on conclusion of investigations, according to Mba.