Police nab suspected abductors of Adamawa businessman

The police in Adamawa State have announced the arrest of two men suspected to have kidnapped a prominent businessman in the state, Abubakar Bashar.

Mr Bashar was released only after payment of a huge ransom. His captors had demanded N200 million.

Parading the suspects on Monday, police spokesperson in the state, Sulaiman Nguroje, said they were arrested on a tip-off. He said the police were making efforts to arrest other members of their syndicate still at large.

“The two are also alleged to be behind various kidnapping around Yola and environs,” Mr Nguroje, a deputy superintendent of police, said.

“We arrested one of them at Ngurore and the other in Yola. The duo belongs to a syndicate terrorising people in Yola.

“The police is intensifying its dragnet to ensure that other members of the syndicate are also brought to justice,” he said.

One of the suspects, Bello Abdullahi, told reporters that they connived with Mr Bashar’s cow herder who provided them with information that led to the kidnap.

” His Gaunako (cows rearer) told us when Alhaji would be coming on the fateful day, so we waited and later pounced on him. We abducted him and demanded the sum of N20 million in ramsom, which was paid.

“We shared the money and I was given N400,000 while other seniors now at large shared the huge sum.

“I regret my involvement,” said the suspect.

Mr Bashar was abducted in April this year near the Yola gate while returning from his farm.

Associates of the businessman said that his abductors released him after a huge amount of money was paid as ransom.