According to Punch, the suspects, Abdulmimini Adamu and Usman Abdullahi, were said to have been involved in the kidnapping of four expatriates — two Americans and two Canadians

The suspects operating in Kaduna state reportedly killed two police officer on the escort of the expatriates.

It was reported that the four other members of the kidnap gang including the ringleader, identified as Dogo, were fatally wounded in a gun duel with the police detectives at their hideout in Kuire forest, while Adamu and Abdullahi, who escaped during gunfire exchange were tracked down to their hideouts in Kano and Kaduna states respectively.

In his statement, Adamu confessed to have participated in the abduction of expatriates, while Adamu who is said to be a farmer and herder in his statement explained that they demanded N100m ransom to release the expatriates.

He added that he didn’t know the money was paid to their boss, Dogo.

“My boss, Dogo, got me involved in kidnapping. In my first operation, we killed two policemen and took away their rifles. We kidnapped four white people, two of them were Americans, but I don’t know the nationality of the other two. We went for that operation last year along Jere Road at the Southern Kaduna area of the State. An informant gave us the job.

“We were nine that took part in the attack. Five of us were armed with AK-47 rifles, while four others were holding sticks. I was holding a stick, while the people who had guns were in front. When the vehicle conveying the expatriates got to where we were, those with guns started firing and forced the vehicle to stop.

“They killed the two policemen escorting those expatriates. We took the white men to our camp in Kuire. They spent three days with us in the camp and we fed them with rice and beans. They ate three times daily and we gave them table water to drink. We treated them well because they are white people.

“One of us who understands English contacted the people that paid the ransom. I got N5m as my share after the ransom was paid and bought some cows with it. They are with my brother in the village.”

Explaining the role he played in the abduction of the expatriates, Abdullahi, 26, who is reportedly married to two wives, said he was the one providing food for their victims.

He said he was given N1m share from the ransom collected by the gang, Punch reports.