The Nigerian Police Force has arrested a suspected kidnapper, Bello Mohammed, linked to the abduction and tragic murder of Nabeeha, the daughter of a Bwari lawyer.
Recall that about 19 abductees were taken away by bandits from the Sagwari Estate Layout in the Dutsen-Alhaji area in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.
The kidnappers were demanding N700m ransom for nine of their victims.
The kidnappers had killed four of the hostages, including Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level student of Biological Science, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and 13-year-old Folashade Ariyo. Nabeeha was abducted alongside six other siblings.
The siblings were kidnapped with their father, Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, from their home at Zuma 1, on the outskirts of Bwari town in Abuja on January 2.
The arrest, made during a raid at a Kaduna hotel on January 20th, exposed a chilling ransom of N2.25 million and startling revelations about the harrowing incident.
The 28-year-old suspect, originally from Zamfara state, was found in possession of the suspected ransom funds during the operation in Tafa Area, Kaduna.
Bello Mohammed confessed to being part of the gang responsible for kidnapping Barrister Ariyo’s family in Bwari on January 2nd, shedding light on the horrifying details of the tragedy.
According to a police statement, Mohammed admitted to the gang’s involvement in the abduction and subsequent killing of Nabeeha and other victims in a camp in Kaduna State on January 13th.
The suspect attempted to bribe the Divisional Police Officer, SP Idris Ibrahim, with N1 million during interrogation, which was vehemently rejected as Ibrahim diligently carried out his duties.
“The suspect, during interrogation, confessed to being part of the gang that kidnapped the family members of one Barrister Ariyo in Bwari, FCT, on 2nd January 2024, and killed some kidnapped victims, including Nabeeha, f, daughter of the legal practitioner, on 13th January 2024, in a kidnappers camp, in Kaduna State.
“The suspect, in a dramatic situation, offered #1,000,000 (one million naira only) to induce the DPO, who rejected the offer and carried out his duty diligently,” the statement partly reads.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, praised the commitment and professionalism of DPO Idris Ibrahim, emphasizing that the police would spare no effort in eradicating criminal elements and ensuring a safer society for Nigerians.
Bello Mohammed is now being transferred to the IRT in Abuja for further investigations, with the IGP ordering a thorough inquiry into the matter and the arrest of all involved culprits.
The suspect is actively cooperating with the police in their ongoing investigations.
