The Yobe State Police Command has dismantled a kidnapping syndicate and successfully liberated a 40-year-old woman from their captivity.
Dungus Abdulkarim, the spokesperson for the command, made this announcement in a press release on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, revealing that Barum Alh Makau, the ringleader of the gang, and one of his associates were apprehended during the operation.
According to the PPRO, the suspects were captured one day after they abducted the woman and her 25-year-old son in Fune Local Government Area of the state.
Abdulkarim detailed the ordeal: “The kidnappers later released the son and demanded a ransom of N7 million for the woman.”
He went on to say, “During the week under review, Police operatives from the Damagun Divisional Police Headquarters cracked a kidnapping syndicate that operates between Potiskum, Fune, and Nangere LGAs and led to the arrest of the kingpin and one other associate, namely: Barum Alh Makau, 40-year-old, of Ashawa via Kyari Village, and Rufai Alh Labe, 27-year-old, of Dadin Kowa Horon Garim, Gombe State.”
“The kidnappers were apprehended a day after abducting their victims, a 40-year-old woman and her 25-year-old son, at Gelel Village under Fune LGA.”
“After a brief period of holding their victims captive, the culprits, a gang of four, eventually released the son. They provided him with a piece of 7.62mm calibre AK-47 rifle ammunition, instructing him to deliver it to his uncle as a message to pay the demanded ransom, which was N7,000,000.00 (Seven Million Naira) for his mother, and N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira) to be paid promptly.”
“Meanwhile, they took the mother to a nearby farm in Ashawa Village, where she was confined in a grass hut amidst the farm, blindfolded, and secured with heavy metal chains on both her hands and legs.”
The kidnappers’ operation came to an end due to credible information, prompting swift action by police operatives. This resulted in the capture of the kingpin, while some members of the syndicate managed to flee. Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, expressed confidence in capturing the fleeing members shortly, as police detectives were in hot pursuit.
Furthermore, discreet investigations are ongoing at the state CID, where weapons utilized in the commission of the crime, including five live ammunition rounds, pump-action guns, a single live ammunition 7.62 mm AK47 rifle, as well as bladed weapons such as a cutlass, bow, arrow, and locally crafted bulletproof vests, have been recovered,” he added.
