The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 52-year-old Islamic teacher and four suspected kidnappers over alleged involvement in kidnapping activities across parts of the state.
The suspects were paraded on Tuesday at the command headquarters in Benin City alongside six other suspects by the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daor.
The police alleged that the Islamic teacher, identified as Jubril Ibrahim, prepared charms for kidnappers operating in Edo North Senatorial District, particularly around Auchi, Jattu and Okpella areas.
Daor said the suspected kidnappers were arrested in Niger State following intelligence gathering by operatives of the command.
However, Ibrahim denied preparing charms for the suspects, explaining that he only prayed for one of them after the suspect’s mother requested prayers for her son’s safety during his travels.
“I gather Almajiri and teach them the Qur’an. So, Ahmadu Suleiman’s mother came to me and said I should be praying for her son, that he travels a lot, so I should pray for him to have a safe trip to and from, and that is what I have been doing,” he said through an interpreter.
The Islamic teacher admitted that he knew Suleiman possessed an AK-47 rifle but insisted he was unaware of any criminal activities.
One of the suspected kidnappers, 24-year-old Ahmadu Suleiman, confessed to participating in a kidnapping operation in Auchi, saying he had worked with different kidnapping groups before returning to Niger State.
Suleiman said the gang targeted houses they considered wealthy, shooting into the air to scare residents before abducting victims and demanding ransom.
“When we get to the community, we look for a beautiful house and shoot into the air, and in the process of scampering for their lives, they run out, and we hold them and take them to the bush, and demand for money,” he said.
He claimed he received N1 million from the Auchi operation, which he described as the only kidnapping incident he participated in within the area.
The suspect also said the group did not rely on informants but selected targets based on visible signs of wealth, including expensive vehicles and buildings.
The police also paraded a 21-year-old suspect accused of stealing a baby in Benin City, while a stolen vehicle was recovered during the operation.
The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, attributed the arrests to intelligence gathering and urged residents to continue providing credible information to security agencies.
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