By USMAN A. BELLO

Operatives of the Edo State Police Command have arrested a 21-year-old Kano-based man, Yakubu Idris, over alleged threat to kidnap the Chairman of Hausa Community in Benin City, Alhaji Badamasi Saleh.

The suspect was arrested following a complaint by Alhaji Badamasi Saleh over a threat by an unknown person to kidnap him.

It was learnt that on September 16, Saleh petitioned the Edo state commissioner of police that unknown person who claimed to be a member of a kidnap gang living in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna, State threatened to kidnap.

The suspect told Saleh that someone close to him (Saleh) paid him N1 million to kidnap him but he decided to reveal the plan to him because he is a good man.

The suspect was said to have insisted that Saleh must pay N1 million into a designated GT Bank to pacify his gang members to not execute the planned kidnap.

It was further gathered that the police asked Saleh to play along and negotiated with suspect who was arrested after the money was paid into the bank account he provided.

When contacted, the command’s spokesperson, Kontongs Bello, confirmed the arrest.

He said the complainant was asked to negotiate with the suspect who accepted the payment of N100,000 which was paid into his GT Bank account.

He said on the receipt of the information that the money was paid into the account; the police arrested the suspect at his hideout in Kano State.

Kontongs added that during the investigation it was discovered that the suspect was someone the complainant had assisted in the past while he was in Benin. (Daily Trust)

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