Stories by Chizoba Ogbeche
Abuja
Nigeria Police yesterday paraded nine suspects in connection with the kidnapping of the wife of the governor of Central bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs Margret Emiefele, just as over N14million and three vehicles were recovered from them.
The suspects include: Lance Corporal Musa Maidabra, 28; Lance corporal Edwin George; Ernest Anthony Uduefe, 32, a dismissed Soldier; Mohammed Abubakar aka Dogo, 29, suspected leader of the gang; and Mohammed Musa, 26.
Others are: Mohammed Sule, 26; Ibrahim Abdullahi, 30; Aliyu Musa; and Mohammed Yusuf, 36.
Mrs Emiefele and three of her aides were abducted on September 29, 2016, at Oquneki Hills along Benin-Agbor road, in Delta state.
Parading the suspects at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Don Awunah, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, had ordered the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and other tactical teams to rescue her unhurt and apprehend all those remotely or directly responsible for the act.
He said, upon deployment of intelligence platform, Mrs. Emiefele and her aides were rescued a day after her abduction unhurt and have since been reunited with their families after debriefing.
The spokesperson said, Maidabara with service no NA/65/7115, a native of Katau Village in Billiri LGA of Gombe state, before his arrest was serving with the Nigerian Army at 122D30 Regiment in Maiduguri, Borno state.
He said a jeep worth N5million was recovered from Maidabara, who had made confessed to being part of the gang that kidnapped and collected ransom from the victim’s family.
Awunah said investigation revealed that the suspect, in company of Lance Corporal George with service no: NA/65/6582 and Uduefe, a dismissed soldier, while dressed in army uniform, escorted some of the kidnappers and the ransom money in a maroon colour Audi car out of the forest where they had kept the victim, to Benin City, Edo state.
He said, Geaorge, a native of Otukpo town, Otukpo LGA of Benue state was until his arrest serving at 122D Regiment in Maiduguri, Borno state, adding that a Honda car worth N1.1 million which he used part of his loot to purchase was recovered from him.
The spokesperson said the dismissed soldier who hails from Igbuku, Ndokwa East LGA of Delta state, in his confessional statement revealed that he also bought a Honda car worth N1.5million and furnished an apartment in Benin City within 48hrs of the kidnap incident.
He said the sum of N1.5 million and the said Honda car was recovered from him.
The gang leader, Abubakar aka Dogo, a native of Mubi, in Mubi LGA of Adamawa state, on his part received N11million from the ransom paid but claimed he gave the said sum to one Danjuma, who is on the run, to keep for him.
The spokesperson said Musa, Sule and Abdullahi were found to have received N10million respectively, just as part of the money were recovered in the course of investigation as well as 1 AK 47 magazine, two cartridges and an Audi car, were also recovered from the gang.
He assured that the IGP Idris was committed to ensuring that all forms of crime, fear of crime and particularly kidnap for ransom and other violent crimes are brought to the lowest ebb throughout the country.
