Couple arrested for masterminding self kidnapping in Niger

The Police in Niger state have arrested two suspect who are a couple for conspiracy and self kidnapping.

The suspects Mohammed Mohammed who is a 39 years old and his wife Sadiya Ibrahim Umar Aged 31 years old are both husband and wife who orchestrated theirrkidnapping of the wife Sadiya in a bait to get money from her father.

A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer of Niger state DSP Wasiu A Abiodun revealed how the suspects allegedly masterrminded the kidnapping.

Read the statement below.

On 22/07/2021 at about 1200hrs, Police Operatives attached to SCID Minna arrested two suspects; a husband and wife, namely;

(1) Mohammed Mohammed age 39yrs ‘m’
(2) Sadiya Ibrahim Umar, age 31yrs ‘f’ both of Limawa area of Minna.

It would be recalled that on 15/07/2021 at about 1200hrs, the said Sadiya was reported to have been kidnapped by unknown person(s) having boarded a tricycle at Challenge junction Maitumbi going to Old Airport road Minna after closing from work at Umar Bn khattab International School Maitumbi. On 16/07/2021, the father was contacted by an unknown caller demanding for N5million ransom which was later reduced to N1million and was dropped at a location in Rafin-yashi, Minna for the anonymous caller.

On 21/07/2021 at about 1000hrs, the said Sadiya re-surfaced and was invited by the Police for questioning. During interrogation, she confessed to have conspired with her husband ‘Mohammed’ to fake her kidnap and she was taken to Nugupi village via Paiko where she was kept by her husband at his friend’s place.

The husband also confessed to have collected the wife’s phone and handed over to one Abdullahi, his friend who negotiated and collected the ransom on his behalf, case under investigation while effort is ongoing to arrest the said Abdullahi. Suspects will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is concluded.

Members of the public are advised to be calm and should not panic at every reported case of crime especially kidnapping, as some of the allaged crimes especially kidnapping are faked and done with the connivance of family members or close associates for monetary gains. This is the third of its kind in recent times where such crimes are faked. However, the Police will always be on top of every situation to guarantee security of lives and properties of Nigerlites

DSP WASIU A. ABIODUN,
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
NIGER STATE COMMAND