The police in Bauchi have arrested one Salisu Salmanu, a nephew to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, who was alleged to have connived with his friends to kidnap his three-year-old younger brother at Kofar Idi in Bauchi and demanded a ransom of N10 million from his father. Salisu Salmanu, 19, was arrested with his three friends, Imrana Abdullahi, 17, Abdullahi Mohammed, 19, and Umar Musa, 19, all residents of Kofar Idi area of the Bauchi metropolis.
Salmanu said they intended buying a car and spend the remaining money if they had succeeded. The spokesman of the Bauchi State Police Command, DSP Haruna Mohammed, said police detectives attached to Township Division on February 28, about noon, arrested the four suspects who connieved with four others still at large to commit the crime. According to him:
“The suspects conspired with four others now at large and kidnapped one Abdulkadir Salmanu of Kofar Idi, took him to Gwallameji and demanded N10 million ransom from the parents. Victim was liberated by the police and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the other fleeing suspects after which they will be charged to court for prosecution.”
In an interview with journalists, Salmanu said they intended buying a car with the money and also spend the remaining had they succeeded in getting the N10million from their father, Salmanu Mohammed, an elder brother to the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed.
“Initially, when we planned the kidnap, I was advised that if we succeed in getting the N10million, we should buy a car and also have money left to be spending.”
Asked if his father wasn’t meeting his needs, he said:
“Honestly, my father meets all my needs. He pays my school fees and every other thing I need. It is just greed and selfishness which the devil put in our hearts.”
Salmanu said he is a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi.
“I have even missed two tests in school because I am here in police custody.”
The 19-year-old mastermind of the kidnap said he prayed that God would expose all those who are into such dirty act.
“By God’s grace, our hearts have totally changed since this is our first time of doing this, and we pray that God prevent a future re-occurrence,” he said.
Also speaking, another suspect, Abdullahi Mohammed, said they had no intention of harming the boy.
“God loves us that was why He didn’t give us success. We took the child not with the intention of harming him but so we could get money from his father and release him. We demanded for N10million but the father said he would pay N3 million and we insisted it was too small. We finally agreed that he would pay N5 million. Honestly, if we had succeeded we wouldn’t have returned the money but this would have been our last,” Mohammed said.