The Police in Kano have bust a five-year old kidnapping and trafficking family enterprise, rescuing nine children who were kidnapped in Kano and sold in Onitsha, Anambra state some five years ago.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmed Illyasu who paraded 124 suspected criminals for various offences at the Bompai Police Headquarters on Friday, said the made arrests in Kano and Onitsha over the incident.
According to him, the ring of human traffickers that have been operating for over five Years in the ancient city of Kano were smashed by the Commnand’s tactical team and the Inspector General of Police Operation Puff adder attached to the anti-kidnapping squad.
He said the children are between the ages of two and 10 years who were kidnapped give years ago by a kidnapping ring led by Paul Owen (38) and his wife, Mercy Paul (38), residing at Dakata quarters.
The Police boss added that the two kidnappers were arrested while trying to take one of the kidnapped victims, Haruna Sagir Bako to Onitsha in Anambra state.
The victim, he said was kidnapped last September on his way back from Islammiyyab School at Yankaba Quarters.
According to him, “six suspects were arrested in connection with the kidnapping, buying, and selling of the teenagers who were discovered in Onitsha, Anambra state from Ebere Ogbodo 45) of Anambra state who is the buyer and sellers of trafficked human beings.”
The police boss said that Usman Mohammed (5) was kidnapped and sold for N1.2 million, but, however, luck ran out of Paul and Mercy and other four kidnappers were apprehended.
Speaking to Reporters, Paul confessed to have committed the crime, with five others, adding that he and his wife has been in the illicit job for over five years.
According to him, “since I have been in this business, I have never a human for less than N300, 000. I am regret my actions now and I am pleading for forgiveness because I have vowed not to go into this kind of business again.”
Also speaking, Paul’s wife, Mercy, said she has been pleading with Paul to stop the business, “I am a divorcee. I met Paul few years ago and we got married. I have warned him severally over this business but he didn’t listen, look at where it has landed us now.”
Also, five kidnappers were apprehended in Bauchi state for kidnapping a two-year old boy from Kano.
The kidnappers were said to be neighbors with their victims’ parents from whom they demanded a ransom of N1 million, but were arrested at the point of negotiation by the police who disguised as their negotiator.
According to him, “on 25 September, 2019 at about 10 p.m, a report of organized kidnapping was reported by one Buhari Rabiu of Medile Sheka wuarters, Kano that his son, one Abubakar Buhari, aged two and half years old was kidnapped by unknown persons and taken to an unknown destination.
“One Buhari Na Ali aged 22, a neighbor to the complainant was arrested in Ningi Local Government Area of Bauchi state and the victim was rescued at School of Health Technology, Ningi.
” On interrogation, he confessed to have conspired with one Ibrahim Ahmed (20) of Sheka quarters and Mubarak Gidare (23) of Ningi were arrested.
“The kidnappers said while negotiating for the collection of the ransom at N160, 000, but on arresting them, the police recovered N124, 700 from them.”
Iliyasu explained that a total of 124 suspects were arrested for various crimes ranging from armed robbery, phone snatching, human trafficking, drug trafficking, counterfeiting, during an operation at various area across the state, adding that items recovered include 22 assorted vehicles, bags of Indian Hemp, money, guns, knives and other dangerous weapons.
