Police Arrest Kidnappers Connected To Murder Of Village Head In Niger

The arrested suspects

Two suspects fingered in the killing of Mallam Abubakar Yahaya, the village head of Gusasse in Bosso Local Government Area, after collecting a ransom of N1.5 million have been arrested by the Niger State Police Command.

Recall that on March 15, 2023, at about 11 pm suspected gunmen attacked Gusasse village via Maikunkele.

According to the Niger State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, the assailants shot Abubakar Yahaya, the village head, and kidnapped his daughter to an unknown destination.

Abiodun, who spoke in Minna, said the hoodlums recently invaded houses of victims in Barkuta, and Sabon-Gari in Beji, Bosso LGA, where they shot dead one Manir.

He stated that the kidnappers further abducted one Alh. Hassan Gusasse, and macheted Chairman Gan-Mamman of Miyeti Allah in the area.

He explained: “Consequently, based on these recent incidents in Beji and its environs, Police operatives attached to FIB tactical squad arrested the two suspects based on a tip-off on March 31, 2023.”

The suspects are Risku Suleiman, 34, and Haruna Umar, 20, who both hail from Kupa village in Garatu, along Bida Road.

Abiodun further disclosed: “During interrogation, Risku confessed that he had been committing cattle rustling with his father, one Suleiman Aga’ala who was convicted for cattle rustling in Angwan-Maireke village, in Beji.

“He further confessed that he (Risku) conspired with his friend, Umar Awara from Lokoja, who equally invited eight others from Zamfara [namely] Idrisu, Shadai, Yeli, Yusuf, and others presently at large, with the said Haruna Umar.

“He said the syndicate is responsible for the death of the village head, and that N1.5 million ransom was collected for the release of his daughter recently, while the same amount was also collected for the release of Alh. Hassan Gusasse. ”

The police spokesman added that an effort is ongoing to arrest Umar Awara and other members of the syndicate while those arrested will be arraigned in court for prosecution as soon as the investigation is concluded.