The Nigeria Police Force says it has arrested two suspects linked to the kidnap of Alhaji Rabo Jelani in Kaduna State and recovered an AK-47 rifle during the operation.
According to a statement on Monday by Force Public Relations Officer DCP Anthony Okon Placid, the suspects in custody are Yusuf Rabo and Musa Adamu.
Police said investigations revealed that Yusuf Rabo conspired with Musa Adamu and Ali Haruna, the victim’s grandson who remains at large, to abduct the elderly man for ransom.
The police said the syndicate claimed the victim had substantial wealth and livestock. Investigators allege that Ali Haruna supplied one of the firearms used in the operation, an AK-47 belonging to his father, while other gang members sourced additional weapons. One AK-47 rifle with an empty magazine was recovered during the arrest.
Police said the victim was abducted on two separate occasions and taken to forest locations where ransom negotiations were coordinated by Yusuf Rabo. The first abduction reportedly yielded ₦2 million, while the second yielded ₦4.5 million.
The statement added that the syndicate has been linked to other violent crimes in the area, including the kidnap of a trader identified as Mr. Iyke and an armed robbery along the Kagoma axis where commuters were robbed of cash and valuables.
Efforts are ongoing to apprehend Ali Haruna and recover additional weapons and exhibits connected to the crimes, the police said.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in dismantling kidnapping and armed robbery networks across the country and assures members of the public of sustained intelligence-led operations against violent criminal groups,” DCP Placid said.
