Fear has gripped residents of Garam, a border community between Niger state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following the release of a prime suspect, Abdullahi Bayero, who was linked to many deadly kidnap escapades in the community, by the police on Thursday

It was gathered that Bayero was nabbed by the Sabo-Wuse police division on Tuesday following the killing of one person and kidnapping of nine others by bandits that invaded Garam.

It was gathered that before the attack, Bayero, who sells provisions in a makeshift shop, had been giving information about likely kidnapped suspects in the community to the bandits before they struck last Tuesday.

Some relief came the way of residents in the community when news filtered in that Bayero had been picked up by the police, alongside other suspects.

However, that was short-lived as the police sent shock waves down the spines of the residents when it was disclosed that Bayero had been released after spending two days in the police cell.

The police, it was gathered, claimed that they didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute Bayero.

Several sources said that Bayero had been acting suspicious of late before he was eventually arrested.

A resident who pleaded anonymity said there were undeniable proofs that Bayero was an informant to the bandits unleashing terror on the community.

“There is a civil defense officer who is close to Bayero. He informed Bayero that he was going for a course. He also told Bayero that he would be back last Sunday. When the bandits came on Tuesday, his house was the first they attacked.”

Also a private school owner in the community added there was a time Bayero asked about the number of pupils in the school, adding that it was when the news of his arrest filtered in that it occurred to her why he was asking such a question.

Another resident also said that before the attack, Bayero was asking of the whereabouts of a young man who deals in petroleum products.

“Bayero asked the secondary school boy of the whereabouts of his ‘oga’. Surprisingly, when the kidnappers came, they jumped the fence into the compound of the man, broke the burglar bars at the back before releasing that he was not at home.”

Some residents added that Bayero set up the Sani, the guy working for him because he allegedly saw bullets in his house.

Another resident said, “They said Sani saw bullets in Bayero’s house, and he told some Huasa people in the area. When the kidnappers came, Sani who usually sleep inside the container was among those kidnapped.” (The Guardian)