Yobe Police bust kidnap syndicate, arrest kingpin and rescue victim

The Yobe State Police Command has busted a kidnap syndicate and rescued a 40-year-old woman from their den.

Spokesperson of the command, Dungus Abdulkarim, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, said the kingpin of the gang, Barum Alh Makau and an associate were arrested during the operation.

According to the PPRO, the suspects were arrested a day after they abducted the woman and her 25-year-old son in Fune Local Government Area of the state.

Abdulkarim said the kidnappers later released the son and and demanded N7m ransom for the woman

“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 statement read.

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“The kidnappers were apprehended a day after abducting their victims, a 40-year-old woman and her son, 25, at Gelel Village under Fune LGA

“The culprits a gang of four after a moment of abducting their victims later released the son and gave him a piece of Ammunition 7.62mm calibre of AK-47 rifle to give his uncle to spare his life or would be killed and to tell him the amount demanded as a ransom; which is N7,000.000.00 ( Seven Million Naira ) for his mother and N5,000.000.00 (Five Million Naira) to be paid as soon as possible

“Meanwhile, they took the mother to a nearby farm in Ashawa Village where she was kept hostage in a grass hut in the middle of the farm, blindfolded and tight with heavy metal chains in both hands and legs

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“The kidnappers met their waterloo based on credible information swift action was taken by Police Operatives and led to the arrest of the kingpin while some members of the syndicate fled but the Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Ahmed, expressed assurance to arrest the fleeing syndicate in no distance time as police detectives were on the chase

“However, discreet Investigation is currently ongoing at the state CID where weapons used in the perpetration of the crime, including five live ammunition, pump action guns, one single live ammunition 7.62 mm of AK47 rifle, cutlass, bow, arrow and locally made bulletproof jackets were recovered,” he added.