Police Nab One of the Masterminds behind Kidnap of CBN Governor’s Wife

Dele Ogbodo in Abuja

The Nigeria Police monday said they had finally arrested the last of the 10-man gang believed to have been involved in the kidnapping of the wife of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mrs. Margaret Emiefele, at Ugoneki village, along the Benin-Agbor Expressway last September.

The police had in October paraded nine of the suspected gang members who confessed their involvement in the kidnapping, with large sums of money and ammunition recovered from them.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Don Awunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, while giving the latest suspect’s identity as Umar Abubakar, aka Kiriwa, in a statement said Abubakar was arrested in Minna, Niger State last Thursday.

He said the Inspector General of Police (IG) Intelligence Response Team succeeded in arresting the suspect through monitoring, intelligence gathering and support from the public.

The statement read: “Umar Abubakar, one of the arrow heads of the daredevil kidnapping gang led detectives to two houses and three plots of empty land he purchased with the proceeds of his share of the ransom paid (by the family).

“The arrested kingpin confessed that he used N3 million, part of the ransom, to open a provision shop in Minna, Niger State which he was running with his wife.”

According to Awunah, the original papers of the houses and plots of land have been recovered and registered as exhibits and the shop also sealed.

“The Nigeria Police Force, with the assistance and the support of the people will ensure that no crime committed will go undetected and perpetrators apprehended for justice and closure to prevail in the court of law,” he said.

He said the IG reassured Nigerians and foreigners of the readiness of the police under his leadership to deliver dedicated and quality policing.

He urged all to be vigilant, provide useful information and report suspicious movements and activities to the police for prompt response.