Police arrest herdsmen over abduction of kinsman’s wife, son

Four suspected Fulani herdsmen have been arrested by the Ondo State Police Command over the abduction of a wife of a fellow Fulani man, identified as Hadiza Saliu in Ido Ani, Osemawe Local Government Area of the state.

The suspected herdsmen were alleged to have earlier abducted a son of another Fulani man in the community but released him after a ransom was paid by his father.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Femi Joseph, who spoke with our correspondent on Tuesday, said the suspects were arrested last Friday.

He gave the names of the suspects as Adamu Ibrahim, Muhammadu Haruna, Saliu Bawa and Bashir Ibrahim.

He explained that the suspects had confessed to be part of the kidnapping gang who frequently carried out their ‘operations’ at the Akoko area of the state in the recent time.

Joseph explained, “One Mohammed Gambo came to report to us that the kidnappers abducted his son and he paid a sum of N200,000 before the boy was released.

“But he did not inform the police before making arrangement with the abductors. It was after the boy was released that he reported to us.

“The same persons abducted another women, Hadiza Saliu, on December 13, 2017. As they were demanding ransom from the husband of the woman, the victim ran away.

“After the victim had escaped, the abductors started calling the husband to demand ransom.
“The reported the case to us. We asked them to provide the money (ransom). Our men with some local vigilante groups laid ambush for the kidnappers who later came and picked up the money.”

Joseph stated further that one of the suspects, Adamu, was arrested when he got out of the bush to pick up the money.

He added that it was after the arrest that it was discovered that the same kidnap group was responsible for the abduction of the son of Gambo who had earlier reported to the police.
“He (Adamu) led us to the arrest of other members of the gang and they have confessed that most of the kidnapping incidents that happened in the Akoko area were carried out by them,” the PPRO stated.
He said the suspects would soon appear in court .