The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a cosmetics trader Musa Yusuf for allegedly engaging an ex-soldier to kill his neighbour at the Sheikh Abubakar Gumi Central Market in Kaduna.
The police also arrested Musa’s friend Yusuf Umar who allegedly linked the former with the ex-soldier identified simply as Ismail.
Speaking on the plot, Musa, a resident of Unguwar Dosa, Kaduna North Local Government Area of Kaduna State, said he decided on eliminating his trading neighbour because he had lost his customers to him.
“I was having issues with my neighbour at the market. We were doing the same type of business together but he took away all my customers. So I went to meet my friend Yusuf, a resident of Hayin Rigasa.
“I told him about the problem I was having and sought his help. He said he knew someone that can do the job, even if it is elimination. I told him that I didn’t know anyone that can do it. So he called the ex-soldier.”
Also speaking, Yusuf Umar, 35, who runs a chemist, said he graduated from School of Health Technology in Michika, Adamawa State. He said “Musa told me that his neighbour had completely killed his business and there was no way he could remain in business with him alive. He told me how Babangida used to follow his customers to convince them against patronising him or agreeing to sell to them at a lesser price.
“So I called Ismail, the ex-soldier, and linked them up. I told Ismail that Musa is my friend and had helped me a lot in life. “The two of them stepped out of my shop and agreed on how to go about the plot. Musa even came into my shop, dipped his hand inside his pocket and brought out some money which he gave to Ismail.
“He also informed me that he told Ismail that he has a small gun which he will drop with me by 11am and Ismail will collect it from me. He brought the gun and I collected it.”
Yusuf confessed that he knew what the gun was to be used for and that Musa did not know the ex-soldier before he was engaged for the plot.
Musa, who told the ex-soldier that he can keep both the motorcycle and mobile phone of the target if he succeeds in killing Babangida, confessed that he bought the gun for N15,000 at Mararrabar Kankara in Katsina State.
Rather than carry out the planned elimination, the ex-soldier reported the matter to the police.
The man that was targeted for elimination Babangida Kabir thanked the Almighty Allah for saving him from the sinister plot and the police for their professionalism.
DSP Mansur Hassan said “After investigation we will charge them to court for prosecution based on what they committed.”
