A suspected kidnapper, Safiyanu Hamza (20), yesterday expressed regrets that he plotted the abduction of his benefactor. Hamza and three others, Mohammed Umar (30), Ibrahim Adamu (20) and Isah Usman (25), were arrested by the police for allegedly attempting to abduct a man, Abdullahi Aliyu, in Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State.
It was learnt that the police detectives attached to Anti-Kidnapping Squad trailed and apprehended the suspects while trying to escape. The suspects, from Chanchaga Local Government Area, specialised in kidnapping people and demanding ransom from their victims.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to have made several attempts in various parts of the state but could not succeed.
One of the suspects, Hamza, told our correspondent yesterday that the man they wanted to kidnap was his master who gave him six cattle to rear. He said: “Honestly, he (Aliyu) will be disappointed that I am the one doing this to him.
“I have disappointed my master and wouldn’t like to give reasons for none will be substantial enough to gratify him. How can I face him after doing evil to him, I am finished. “I was stupid targeting the day I will do it and succeed but unknown to me I found myself in the police net.” When asked whether his parents were aware that he was in police net, Hamza said, “even if my parents are aware they will disown me for this heinous act; they will even regret giving birth to me”.
Confirming the arrest, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muhammad Abubakar, said, “there is no hiding place for kidnappers in the state”. He said: “We cannot allow kidnappers and other forms of criminality to take over the state.” Abubakar said that the operatives recovered one locally-made revolver gun with two live cartridges and two cutlasses. He added that the matter would be charged to court on conclusion of investigations.