From Molly Kilete and Esther Ene, Abuja

 

The Nigeria Police Tuesday paraded 26 suspected kidnappers allegedly responsible for terrorizing motorists on the Niger, Kogi states and the Abuja-Kaduna highway. The suspects who were arrested at different locations were paraded at the Ibrahim Coomasie police station, at Gawu Babangida, in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State. Among the suspects were commercial drivers who pick up passengers perceived to be rich at the motor parks to rob and rape them later. Items recovered from the suspects, include four AK47, riffles, four double-barrel guns, three locally made pistols, large number of ammunitions, machetes, charms, various mobile phone handsets, clothing, and others.

The force public relations officer, Moshood Jimoh, said the suspects were arrested by men of Operation Absolute Sanity set up by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to wipe out kidnappers and other criminal groups terrorizing the Abuja/Kaduna highway. Jimoh, while noting that cases of kidnapping has reduced on the Abuja/Kaduna, highway, said the kidnappers have relocated their operation to the Niger/Kogi/ Benue, highways. He said that aside kidnapping and ransom for money, the group also rape their female victims and kill others. He said the group some of whom dress in army uniforms, usually mount road blocks to deceive motorists. The FPRO, who reiterated the determination to wipe out kidnappers from the nation’s highways, said all the suspects have made confessional statement on their role in various robbery operations while efforts is on to arrest other members of the gang after which they would be charged to court. In an interview with journalists, one of the gang members, Abubakar Mohammed, 20, from Bauchi State, who said he has been in the crime for over two years, said they usually work with relatives of their victims before embarking on any operation. He said they collect ransom ranging from N2m from relatives of kidnapped victims and that he used his own share of the money to invest in trading. Another suspect, Isah Umar, a commercial driver who operated at the Lapai motor park, said he with one Ubale Sani, another member of the gang were responsible for identifying rich passengers who come to the park and alert their members with details of the vehicle