The sum of N10.1 million has been recovered from a kidnap gang in Sokoto state and 81 suspects apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force for alleged murder, kidnapping, unlawful possession of weapons and internet fraud.
This was disclosed by the Spokesperson of the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba at a media briefing in Abuja on Monday.
Mba disclosed that the N10.1million was part of the ransom paid by one, Alhaji Tuku Zubair, a wealthy business man in Sokoto State.
The police spokesman said the members of the kidnap gang were prisoners who had been prosecuted by the Police but formed the gang in Katsina Prison, they were either rounding up their sentences or serving jail terms while others were in the prison awaiting trails.
The police spokesman said: “Somehow, they were able to get themselves together while in the prison, formed a deadly gang and while in the prison they hatched the plot to kidnap one Alhaji Tuku Zubairu.
“As soon as they were out from the prison, they embarked on that mission, kidnapped the business man and collected ransom running into several millions from him.
“We went after them and as I speak to you today, all the gang members have been arrested and a total sum of N10.1 million, part of the ransom they collected has been recovered.”
He said the police had also arrested another deadly kidnap gang known as the Shaibu DanKaduna, responsible for terrible crimes along Kaduna axis and some parts of the Northcentral zone of the country.
According to him, on August 11, this gang ambushed a team of police operatives that were on a mission and killed four of the operatives.
“Ever since then, we have not relented on our efforts and as I speak to you, majority of members of that gang have been arrested.
“The riffles of the operatives that were snatched after killing them have all been recovered.
“The leader of that gang, Shaibu Dan Kaduna has been killed. He died during an exchange of bullet with police operatives on October 3.”
He said members of another kidnap gang responsible for the killing of Inspector Patrick Yohanna on August 26 on Abuja-Kaduna Road had also been arrested.
Mba said the entire gang members had been arrested, adding that another group, numbering 21 were also arrested in Taraba.
He said 10 internet fraudsters, including a Secondary School Ghanaian were arrested in Abuja by police operatives.
The DCP said: “A look at them showed clearly that they are all young persons and out of the 10, one is a Ghanaian who told us that he is a secondary school student in Accra Academy.
“Some of the suspects are graduates and as a matter of fact, one of them who we recognise as the leader of the group is a graduate of Microbiology and a holder of Masters in Business Administration,” he added.
He said 8 AK 47 riffle, 344 rounds of AK 47 riffles and 15 other types of weapons of assorted make, largely locally fabricated were recovered.
Mba said 10 laptops recovered from the Internet fraud suspects would subjected to proper forensic examination before charging the suspects to court.
