3 soldiers among 9 suspects paraded over Mrs Emefiele’s kidnap

Three soldiers—two Lance Corporal and a dismissed soldier— were among the nine suspects paraded on Monday, over the kidnap of the wife of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mrs Margaret Emefiele.

Mrs Emefiele and three of her aides were abducted on September 29, at Oguneki Hills on Benin-Agbor Road in Delta State.

Following the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris’s directive, a team of intelligence platform was deployed and she was rescued the following day, unhurt.

The police in Abuja, on Monday paraded nine kidnap suspects of Mrs Emiefele, even as a sum of N14 million, which was part of the ransom paid to the kidnappers, was recovered.

The police also recovered three vehicles procured by the kidnappers, an AK 47 magazine and two cartridges used by the kidnappers.

Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Don Awunah, who briefed journalists on the arrest, said the culprits, who all confessed to the crime, included two serving Nigerian Army personnel.

They are Lance Corporal Musa and Lance Corporal Edwin (surnames withheld), as well as a dismissed soldier, Ernest (other names withheld).

Other members of the gang were the gang leader, Abubakar a.k.a Dogo, Musa, Sule, Abdullahi, Musa and Yusuf.

On their individual roles, the FPRO said “Lance Corporal Maidabra, serving in Maiduguri, admitted to being part of the gang. A sport utility vehicle (SUV) worth N1.5 million and the sum of N4.5 million which was part of his own share were recovered from his possession.

“It was also discovered that he, in company with Lance Corporal Edwin and dismissed soldier, Ernest, while dressed in Army uniform, escorted the kidnappers and the ransom money in a maroon colour Audi car out of the forest where they had kept the victim, to Benin City, Edo State.”

“Edwin, serving at 122D regiment in Maiduguri, bought a Honda car worth N1.1 million with part of his loot, and it was recovered from him after his arrest in Benue State.

“Ernest revealed that he bought a Honda car worth N1.5 million and furnished his apartment in Benin City within 48 hours of the kidnap incident. The sum of  N1.5 million and the car were recovered from him.

“Abubakar, the leader of the gang, who hails from Adamawa State, admitted that he received the sum of N11 million cash as his share of the ransom paid.

“He said he gave one Danjuma, who is presently on the run, the said amount to keep for him.

“Musa, the deputy leader of the gang, who hails from Sokoto State, admitted that as a member of the gang, he received the sum of N10 million from the ransom paid.”

“The cash sum of N7. 7million was recovered from him and it was the useful information gotten from him that led to the arrest of other members of the gang.

“Other members of the gang as follows, Mohammed Sule from Nasarawa State got the sum of N10million in cash as part of his share and claimed that a soldier and another gang leader escaped with the loot.

Ibrahim Abdullahi from Niger state admitted he received the sum of N10million as his share while Aliyu Musa and Mohammed Yusuf were picked up for other roles they played.