The Niger State police have arrested a member of a suspected gang of kidnappers in the Kpakungu community in the Chanchaga Local Government Area of the State.
The suspect, Mohammed Yakubu, 25, was said to have kidnapped his victim and held her in captivity for over two weeks while demanding N150,000 ransom before her release.
He, however, has confessed to the abduction of one Halima Ibrahim on May 11, 2019.
Mohammed, it was gathered, confessed that he kidnapped Halima with the intent of extorting money from her would-be husband, who also resides in the same area.
“We are from the Katcha Local Government Area of the state. I knew that Aliyu Musa has proposed to Halima and I knew he would do anything to secure her freedom, hence I kidnapped her.
“I called him with her number and told him that she had been kidnapped and ordered him to drop the sum of N150,000 in a location if he wanted her released. He offered to pay N65,000.”
Mohammed stated that members of his gang were interested in kidnapping newly-wed women or those about to wed because their husbands/fiancés would be prepared to pay ransom.
Confirming the incident, Niger state police spokesperson, Muhammad Abubakar, said a team of policemen attached to the Kpakungu Police Station apprehended the suspect following a tip-off, adding that the victim was rescued by the police personnel.
The PPRO stated that the matter had been charged to court.
