Police in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, say they have arrested one Ibrahim Tunbow, a suspected kidnapper.
Tunbow was accused of using a phone belonging to a teenager in the Kwali area of the FCT to negotiate and collect ransom from the relations of a victim.
The suspect, who was arrested on Monday, was said to have 17-year-old boy N30,000 after he received the ransom, but the boy rejected the money.
One of the locals who spoke in confidence for security reasons disclosed that Tunbow threatened to kill the boy should he tell anyone he used his phone for calls.
The source added that the boy was scared by the threat and told his parents what transpired, adding that his parents reported the matter to the police.
“What happened was that Tunbow first asked the 17-year-old boy to allow him to use his phone to make calls that his phone was faulty. He made friends with him and subsequently started using the boy’s phone for calls, and sometimes he received calls demanding to speak with Tunbow.
“As soon as he receives the calls, he won’t be seen around for sometimes. Recently, he brought N30,000 and gave to the boy. The boy asked what the money was meant for, Tunbow said it was his share out of the money he made from those calls he normally received using his phone.
“The boy refused to collect the money. He threatened to kill him if he tells anyone that he uses his phone to receive and make calls. The boy was scared and explained everything that happened to his parents. The matter was reported to the police. Tunbow was arrested yesterday afternoon. ” Punch quoted the source as saying.
The FCT Command Spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, confirmed the arrest, adding that efforts were ongoing to arrest others.
She added, “Tunbow has been arrested, and he is in our custody. He confessed to using the boy’s phone to make calls during interrogation.
“He also confessed to being behind some of the abductions in Yangoji, Sahda, and Killankwa. We have intensified efforts to arrest other members of his gang.”
She, however, warned residents to be mindful of allowing strangers to make calls with their mobile phones.
Adeh said, “We want to use this medium to caution residents to be mindful of giving their phones to strangers to make calls. Parents should also caution their children against giving their phones to strangers. “