The Edo State Police Command has arrested four suspected kidnappers and a 52-year-old Islamic teacher, identified as Jubril Ibrahim, over alleged involvement in kidnapping activities in the Edo North Senatorial District.
The suspects were paraded on Tuesday at the command headquarters in Benin City alongside six other suspects arrested in connection with various offences.
According to the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daor, the four suspected kidnappers were arrested in Niger State following intelligence gathered by operatives of the command. The suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping activities around the Auchi, Jattu and Okpella areas of Edo State.
The police also accused Ibrahim, an Islamic teacher, of preparing charms for members of the kidnapping syndicate.
However, Ibrahim denied the allegation. Speaking through an interpreter, he said he only offered prayers for one of the suspects, 24-year-old Ahmadu Suleiman, after the suspect’s mother approached him because her son travelled frequently.
“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 his safe trip to and from,” Ibrahim said.
The teacher, however, acknowledged that he knew Suleiman possessed a firearm when questioned by journalists.
Suleiman, who also spoke through an interpreter, reportedly admitted participating in a kidnapping operation in Auchi. He said he had previously worked with different kidnapping syndicates across the country before returning to Niger State.
According to the suspect, the gang would identify houses they considered suitable targets, fire shots into the air and abduct people who fled their homes during the ensuing panic. He claimed he received ₦1 million from the Auchi operation and said it was the only kidnapping operation he participated in within the area.
Suleiman also denied that the gang relied on informants, saying members instead looked for indicators such as expensive vehicles and large buildings when selecting potential targets.
The arrests form part of the Edo Police Command’s ongoing intelligence-led operations against kidnapping and other criminal activities in the state. The command said intelligence gathering played a key role in tracking the suspects outside Edo.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, urged members of the public to continue providing credible information to security agencies to assist efforts to prevent and investigate criminal activities.
The suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue. Their allegations remain subject to further investigation and possible prosecution in accordance with the law.