Police arrest three suspects in Bauchi over ‘attempted kidnapping’

The Bauchi police command says three persons have been arrested for allegedly attempting to kidnap some residents in the state.

In a statement on Sunday, Ahmed Wakil, police spokesperson in the state, said the suspected kidnappers contacted the victims and demanded the sum of N5 million.

Wakil said the suspects threatened to abduct their target and his family members if the money was not paid.

“On the 7th day of March 2024 at about 1400hrs, one Yahaya Adamu, of Badakoshi village Bauchi LGA, complained to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) domiciled in criminal investigation department of the command,” the statement reads.

He said Adamu received the call at about 2:30 pm on March 4 but reported the case to the anti-kidnapping unit of the command on March 7.

“He threatened him to produce the sum of N5 million,” Wakil said.

“The suspected kidnappers emphasised that they knew all his assets and family members and to prove it, they started mentioning their names one after the other, further threatening that if the complainant resists to deposit the demanded amount, he would be at risk.”

The police spokesperson said the suspects forwarded the account number of a point of sale (POS) operator for the money to be paid.

He said Auwal Musa, police commissioner, on receipt of intelligence, ordered the criminal investigation department (CID) to investigate the case.

“The investigation was conducted, using modern technology and resulted in the arrest of the suspects, Haro Adamu, 35; Aliyu Saidu, 40 and  Musa Umaru, 35, of Birnin Kudu town in Jigawa,” he said.

“The suspects were differently arrested in Birnin Kudu town in Jigawa state and Kaltunga via Plateau state.”

The police spokesperson said the suspects confessed to the alleged crime during interrogation, adding that they would be charged to court for prosecution.