Force Public Relations Officer ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, in collaboration with IRT Commander DCP, unveiled a group of 16 criminal suspects on Saturday in Abuja, prominently including Idris Ishiaku (Yellow), Bala Umar, and Dahiru Salisu, the latter recognized for surveilling individuals of commercial importance.
The Force PRO disclosed that advanced technology played a key role in capturing the kidnapping gang, intercepting a call from Yellow that relayed the successful abduction of a wealthy civil servant.
In the intercepted phone call, Yellow instructed his fellow gang members that the wealthy civil servant must not be released unless the family agrees to pay a ransom of N50 million.
When questioned about his origins and occupation, Yellow stated that he originates from Kaduna but currently resides in Bwari, where he works as a security guard and engages in farming.
He said that last year he took part in one kidnapping attack but that this year he has taken part in two kidnappings, adding that in one of the kidnappings he made N600,000 and in another he made the sum of N500,000.
The factor that led to their arrest was his resolute demand for a N50 million ransom in the latest kidnapping (Civil Servang) and the subsequent period of waiting for ransom collection.
Although he claims to be unarmed, he admitted that during operations, he typically contacts another armed gang to join forces.
ACP Adejobi took the opportunity to counsel FCT residents, urging caution in hiring security guards or housekeepers, emphasizing that some may possess questionable characters or engage in surveillance for criminal gangs.
“Always get information about somebody before renting your house out or employing people as security guards. Contact the police and get the profiles of those you want to employ. We should be vigilant and more careful,” he said.
On the arrest of Chinaza Philips in Kaduna and his handover to the FCT Command, the FPRO said the police did not kill the notorious kidnapper to hide information about his other gang members as being insinuated.
Showing the injured kidnapper, Adejobi said that Chinaza and three other armed members of his gang disposed of his ATM card while on their way to Kano and withdrew N500,000. At Kaduna, they stopped at a petrol station to buy fuel before the police swooped on them.
Amidst the intense gunfire, Chinaza sustained a gunshot wound to the leg; three fellow gang members managed to evade capture; however, the kidnapped victim was successfully rescued, and the Hilux jeep was recovered.
In the disclosure, the Force PRO mentioned that Chinaza, who had faced a kidnapping charge before, was presently on bail from a high court in Kwali and had fled to commit the latest kidnapping crime.
The police paraded Ayuba Kamson, Samuel Musa, and Magaji Everest, implicated in the illicit trade of arms to criminal factions. The trio, responsible for dispensing over 100 weapons, including pistols and AK-47 rifles, were apprehended with 11 pistols and rifles, all successfully recovered.
The police presented Usman Yinusa and Samina Haruna as leaders of a gang involved in gunrunning and kidnapping. Operating from their base in Obajana, they are the masterminds behind the criminal gangs causing havoc in Kogi and Kaduna states.
After being taken into custody by the IRT, they were found in possession of two AK-47 rifles, both of which were recovered.