Members of the Nigerian Police Force have detained a suspected kidnapper believed to have played a role in the abduction and subsequent death of Nabeeha, the daughter of a Bwari lawyer. It is noteworthy that approximately 19 individuals were taken captive by bandits from the Sagwari Estate Layout in the Dutsen-Alhaji area within the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.

These kidnappers had demanded a ransom of N700 million for nine of their victims, and unfortunately, four hostages, including Nabeeha Al-Kadriyar, a 400-level student at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and 13-year-old Folashade Ariyo, were killed. Nabeeha and her six siblings were abducted, along with their father, Alhaji Mansoor Al-Kadriyar, from their residence at Zuma 1 on the outskirts of Bwari town in Abuja on January 2.

However, in a statement released on Sunday, the police reported the arrest of 28-year-old Bello Mohammed during a raid on a Kaduna hotel on January 20th. During the operation, authorities seized N2.25 million in suspected ransom money from Mohammed. Upon interrogation, Mohammed admitted to being part of the gang responsible for kidnapping Barrister Ariyo’s family members in Bwari on January 2nd.

“The operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, on 20th January 2024, have arrested one Bello Mohammed, 28, of Zamfara state, in Kaduna.

“The Divisional Police Officer, Tafa Division, acting on intelligence, raided one hotel in Tafa Area, Kaduna, where he arrested Bello, with the sum of #2.25m (Two Million, two hundred and fifty million naira) only, suspected to be proceeds of ransoms collected from kidnapped victims within the area,” the statement noted.

He further admitted that the gang killed some of their kidnapped victims, including Nabeeha, in a camp in Kaduna State on January 13th.

According to the statement, Mohammed offered a N1 million bribe to the DPO leading the operation, SP Idris Ibrahim. But Ibrahim rejected the inducement and arrested the suspect.

“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.”

Mohammed further admitted to the participation of five bandits who had already been neutralized by the police in Kaduna. Additionally, their dangerous hideout was dismantled. 

The individual in question is now being moved to the IRT in Abuja for more extensive investigations and to capture any remaining accomplices. Mohammed is presently cooperating with the police in their inquiries.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, has ordered that the suspect, who also confessed to the involvement of the already five (5) neutralised bandits in Kaduna by the IRT, headed by one Mai Gemu (aka Godara), whose deadly camp has also been destroyed, be handed over to the DFI-IRT in Abuja for discreet investigations into the matter and arrest of all other culprits responsible for the dastardly act. The suspect is currently helping the police in their investigations,” the statement noted.

IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun commended the DPO’s commitment and professionalism. He assured that “the police would leave no stone unturned in decimating criminally minded individuals and bequeathing to Nigerians a more secure society.”