The suspected kidnapper whose house was demolished on Friday night is the mastermind of the abduction of staff members of the University of Abuja, the Niger State government said on Saturday.

Commissioner of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Internal Security, Emmanuel Umar, who spoke at the Niger Police Headquarters in Mina, said the suspect confessed to the crime.

He said the suspect’s confession led to the arrest of other members of his syndicate and the subsequent rescue of the victims.

Umar added that the suspect also admitted to having participated in five major kidnapping incidents across Nigeria and that he bought the demolished house with the proceeds of his crime.

Umar said the suspects are undergoing interrogation.

“The state government will not allow Niger to be a haven for kidnappers, bandits or any criminal,” he said.

He urged the people to always be vigilant and report any suspicious activities around their communities to security agencies.

(The Nation)