The Police have arrested five Fulani men (Abdullahi Mohammed, 35, Abubakar Abubakar,
28, Damanya Gambo, 30, Usman Idris, Usman Saidu, 30) suspected to be
members of a notorious kidnapping and armed robbery gang who for years
had terrorized Okeho and Iganna communities, in Oyo State and environs.
28, Damanya Gambo, 30, Usman Idris, Usman Saidu, 30) suspected to be
members of a notorious kidnapping and armed robbery gang who for years
had terrorized Okeho and Iganna communities, in Oyo State and environs.
One Hassan Maikudi, 30,
led the gang to kidnap his own father and collected a
ransom of N1.5million before releasing him. Others were said to have
fled into the bush as the N200,000 and several charms used in evading
arrest were recovered from the suspects when police swooped on them.
On their arrest, Saturday Sun, one of the suspects, Mohammad Abudulahi, a
Fulani from Kwara State, who is also a graduate of Mathematics, married
to two wives and has three children, said that it was his quest to be a
rich man that landed him into crime.
He explained:
“Before I was arrested, I was a
teacher and I quit my job because I wanted to join the Nigerian Army. I
applied but I wasn’t admitted. I obtained an Ordinary National Diploma
(OND) from Kwara State Polytechnic in Mathematics and Statistics in
2005 and I went further to obtain a BSc in Mathematics from Kwara State
University and I graduated in 2009, before proceeding for National Youth
Service. I started working in 2011. I got a job at a private
secondary school in Okeho.
teacher and I quit my job because I wanted to join the Nigerian Army. I
applied but I wasn’t admitted. I obtained an Ordinary National Diploma
(OND) from Kwara State Polytechnic in Mathematics and Statistics in
2005 and I went further to obtain a BSc in Mathematics from Kwara State
University and I graduated in 2009, before proceeding for National Youth
Service. I started working in 2011. I got a job at a private
secondary school in Okeho.
“I taught Physics and Mathematics and I earned N15000 monthly. I was
very popular among most residents of the area especially people of my
tribe. I grew up in that area with my parents and siblings. I was also
staying there with my wives and children. Though most of my friends who
knew I was well educated, knew I wasn’t making enough money from my job.
very popular among most residents of the area especially people of my
tribe. I grew up in that area with my parents and siblings. I was also
staying there with my wives and children. Though most of my friends who
knew I was well educated, knew I wasn’t making enough money from my job.
“Few years ago, two of them, Damanya and Abubakar, approached me
with an idea, that since I was highly respected and well known in the
community, that I could always make good money for myself, by giving
them information about rich people residing in the community. I asked
what they needed to do with such information, they said in most cases
they will either rob or kidnap such persons. I told them that I can’t do
such because my eyes are very bad, and I could barely see at night.
Damanya told me that all they needed was for me to always look out for
potential targets and when it is identified, in the case of kidnapping I
will be on ground to gather intelligence from relatives of the victims.
In other cases, he said I will have to trail and give them information
on persons they want to rob,” he narrated.
Recounting some of their exploits, Abudulahi said his job of
intelligence gathering led to several successful robberies and
kidnappings.
with an idea, that since I was highly respected and well known in the
community, that I could always make good money for myself, by giving
them information about rich people residing in the community. I asked
what they needed to do with such information, they said in most cases
they will either rob or kidnap such persons. I told them that I can’t do
such because my eyes are very bad, and I could barely see at night.
Damanya told me that all they needed was for me to always look out for
potential targets and when it is identified, in the case of kidnapping I
will be on ground to gather intelligence from relatives of the victims.
In other cases, he said I will have to trail and give them information
on persons they want to rob,” he narrated.
Recounting some of their exploits, Abudulahi said his job of
intelligence gathering led to several successful robberies and
kidnappings.
“We did a couple of jobs. I gave them information when they
wanted to rob a cattle rearer after he has sold cattle. I informed them
when the man came home and I followed him secretly until he mounted a
motorcycle. I gave them that information, and by evening news went
round that the man had been robbed and the money he made from the sale
of his cattle was carted away. In that operation, I got N40,000 as my
share of the loot.
wanted to rob a cattle rearer after he has sold cattle. I informed them
when the man came home and I followed him secretly until he mounted a
motorcycle. I gave them that information, and by evening news went
round that the man had been robbed and the money he made from the sale
of his cattle was carted away. In that operation, I got N40,000 as my
share of the loot.
There were several other times, when they blocked the highway leading
to the border and robbed traders going for business across the border
and dispossess them of their monies. When they returned, they will bring
my own share; this is because they don’t want me to tell anyone who
carried out those operations.“There were several operations we did together and I usually get my
share but last month they went and kidnapped on Alhaji Maikudi, who is a
rich cattle rearer. It was his son, Hassan, who brought the job and I
don’t know what his reason was.
to the border and robbed traders going for business across the border
and dispossess them of their monies. When they returned, they will bring
my own share; this is because they don’t want me to tell anyone who
carried out those operations.“There were several operations we did together and I usually get my
share but last month they went and kidnapped on Alhaji Maikudi, who is a
rich cattle rearer. It was his son, Hassan, who brought the job and I
don’t know what his reason was.
Hassan is also my friend, but he works
with his father has a herdsman and they have several cows. He gave the
information to Danmayan and they kidnapped his father and took him into
the bush and kept him there for one week before a N1.5million was paid
as ransom before he was released. During the operation, I was in the
community monitoring what was happening. I was attending meetings and I
took part in planning how we will go and look for Alhaji Maikudi. My
father also took part in the search. He was also in the bush looking for
Alhaji.
with his father has a herdsman and they have several cows. He gave the
information to Danmayan and they kidnapped his father and took him into
the bush and kept him there for one week before a N1.5million was paid
as ransom before he was released. During the operation, I was in the
community monitoring what was happening. I was attending meetings and I
took part in planning how we will go and look for Alhaji Maikudi. My
father also took part in the search. He was also in the bush looking for
Alhaji.
“Some of my gang members were also with them and they were always
relaying information to those keeping Alhaji. On my part, I was always
giving them information about any plan that was to be carried out in the
community. At the end, Hassan ensured that the sum of N1.5million was
paid as ransom after some of his father’s cattles were sold. He got
N700,000 as his own share, while, I, Abubakar, Damanya and Saidu, got
N200, 000 each.
relaying information to those keeping Alhaji. On my part, I was always
giving them information about any plan that was to be carried out in the
community. At the end, Hassan ensured that the sum of N1.5million was
paid as ransom after some of his father’s cattles were sold. He got
N700,000 as his own share, while, I, Abubakar, Damanya and Saidu, got
N200, 000 each.
I had barely spent my own money when I was arrested by
the police. I was picked up in a bar, where I had gone to have some
drinks. The policemen were also in the bar drinking and I didn’t know
that they were policemen. I liked the way they were seated and offered
to buy them some drinks, but before I knew what was happening, I was
arrested and whisked away. I thought the policemen were from Ibadan on
routine raid and I threatened to call my lawyer, it was when I got here
that I realised that I was in a deep mess. I told the police the role I
played and took them to my house and handed over my N200, 000 share of
the ransom.”
the police. I was picked up in a bar, where I had gone to have some
drinks. The policemen were also in the bar drinking and I didn’t know
that they were policemen. I liked the way they were seated and offered
to buy them some drinks, but before I knew what was happening, I was
arrested and whisked away. I thought the policemen were from Ibadan on
routine raid and I threatened to call my lawyer, it was when I got here
that I realised that I was in a deep mess. I told the police the role I
played and took them to my house and handed over my N200, 000 share of
the ransom.”