Policeman rejects N1m bribe to release kidnap suspect in Kano

A police officer in Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Kano State Command, SP Aliyu Mohammed has rejected a bribe of N1 million offered to him to free a suspected abductor, Yusuf Ibrahim.

The policeman was approached by one Bamuwa Umaru, 62, on Friday, December 16, 2022, to secure the release of Ibrahim.

Following the incident, the Kano State Police Command arrested Umaru, who later confessed to partaking in a series of kidnappings at villages in Katsina and Zamfara states.

The sexagenarian also confessed that their syndicate group killed up to 10 of their victims out of which he single-handedly killed two.

Disclosing the suspect’s arrest, the spokesperson of Kano Police, SP Abdullahi Haruna released a statement that read: “On December 16, 2022 at about 2pm, one Alhaji Bamuwa Umaru, 62 years old, of Shika town, Sabon Gari LGA Kaduna State approached the Officer in Charge of Anti-Kidnapping Squad, State Criminal Investigation Department, Kano State Command, SP Aliyu Mohammed and offered him the sum of N1m as bribe to secure the release of one Yusuf Ibrahim, 27 years old, of Danjibga Village, Tsafe LGA, Zamfara State, a suspected kidnapper arrested at Rijiyar Zaki Motor Park Kano.

“Ibrahim was arrested by a team of Operation Restore Peace led by CSP Usman Abdullahi, the Divisional Police Officer, Rijiyar Zaki Division Kano after he was identified by a driver they kidnapped along Funtua-Gusau Road, and collected the sum of N500,000 as ransom before his release.

“On preliminary investigation, the suspect confessed to the crime and further confessed to having participated in a series of kidnappings at Sheme, Yankara, faskari and Kucheri villages in Katsina and Zamfara states respectively. He further confessed that their syndicate members killed about 10 of their kidnapped victims, and he alone killed two of the victims.”

The police spokesperson added that the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.