A suspected kidnapper, Umaru Usman, who was arrested with his gang members less than 12 hours after they kidnapped two children at Ebinpejo Village via Lanlate in Ibarapa East Local Government Area, has opened up on how his gang targeted the father of one of the abducted children but had to go for the vulnerable ones when the man was not met at home in the night they struck.

Umaru made the disclosure in an interview with Saturday Tribune, after his arrest by police operatives in collaboration with the Amotekun Corps, local vigilante groups, and hunters.

Usman and two others – Mohammed Ibrahim Shina and Abdullahi Ahmed – allegedly conspired to invade the residence of one Alhaji Idris, a cattle owner living in the same village with Umaru, in a move to kidnap him for a ransom.

However, on getting to Idris’ house in the dead of the night and meeting his absence, the suspects, who had secured a gun from one Idowu Sunday for their operation, decided to go for two seven-year-olds, Saliu and Mohammed, one of whom is Idris’ son and the other his younger brother’s son.

Rudely awakened from sleep, the two kids, barefooted, were made to walk in the forest, where they were taken, for over four hours before they were eventually rescued while resting.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, who confirmed the rescue of the children and the suspects’ arrest, said that following the report of the matter, the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola, directed the Divisional Police Officer, Lanlate, to mobilise police operatives and other security forces to begin an intensive bush-combing operation.

The move yielded positive results when the joint security team successfully traced the abductors’ hideout into a deep forest.

However, according to the PPRO, “on sighting the advancing security team, the hoodlums opened fire, resulting in a gun duel. The operatives responded professionally, overpowering the criminals and forcing them to flee in different directions.”

During the operation, three of the suspects reportedly sustained gunshot wounds while attempting to escape but were apprehended, with three mobile phones recovered at the scene.

Ayanlade said that further investigations led to the arrest of Sunday for an alleged logistical support to the criminal syndicate.

Saturday Tribune learnt that the abducted children, one of who sustained injuries during the ordeal, were taken to a hospital for medical attention, after which they were reunited with their families.

Information gathered by Saturday Tribune revealed that months before last Saturday’s kidnap operation, Umaru had allegedly killed his brother’s wife during an argument on a matter. Immediately the incident occurred, Umaru fled Maya to Ilorin in Kwara State. But before fleeing Maya, he had allegedly harboured the intent of abducting his tribesman, Alhaji Idris, and on getting to Ilorin, Umaru put aside his sister-in-law’s death and approached Shina whom he planned with to return to Lanlate to kidnap Idris.

When the two got to Maya from Ilorin, they conscripted Abdullahi into the gang, while Abdullahi went to Sunday to get the gun needed for the kidnap operation.

On Saturday, June 27, at about 3a.m., Umaru, Shina and Abdulahi went to Ebinpejo Village and invaded houses where they kidnapped the two children, before their rescue less than 12 hours after

In an interview, Umaru, who claimed not to know his age, told Saturday Tribune that he was born in Ajagbe Village via Lanlate. He said: “My parents first lived in Kwara State before moving to Oyo State. I’m a cattle herder.

“It is true I carried out a kidnap operation. I believe it was a spell cast on me. What happened was that I and others abducted two children of people from our tribe living in Ebinpejo Village. Three of us – Shina, Abdullahi and I – planned the operation. In the past, Shina lived in Lagayi Village close to our own, so we were familiar with each other, but his family had left for Ilorin. Some months ago, I also went to Ilorin and saw Shina. We discussed carrying out kidnap operation and he returned to Maya with me. When we got there, Shina called Abdullahi and explained our plan to him. He joined us. Abdullahi was the one who contacted Sunday who gave us his gun for the operation.

“On the day we planned to strike, we stayed in the bush, close to Maya. In the middle of the night, we left the bush for the targeted house. We had a gun, cutlass and sticks as weapons. Abdullahi broke the doors. We went in and found children with their mother. We didn’t meet the fathers at home. Abdullahi brought out two children.

“Immediately, we took the children into the bush, walking for hours until daybreak. We had not fed the children or demanded for ransom when we were found.”

Speaking on what led to the death of his sister-in-law, Umaru explained: “The woman was my brother’s wife and she had four children. What happened was that she claimed my cock as hers. She went to take it and I took it back from her. We were living together. She held my dress and my brother got up and told me to leave. As I was going, my sister-in-law held one of my legs and I kicked her. She fell and started cursing me. As she made to get up, she fell and died. That was why I ran away to Ilorin. I used to sneak into our village but was not going home.”

In his own confession, Shina said that his family was also living in Agbeniga Village via Lanlate until two years ago when he lost his parents and moved to Ilorin, Kwara State, to join his uncle.

“I was a cattle herder, but about five months ago, I became a commercial motorcyclist. Some months ago, I heard of how Umaru fought with his brother’s wife and killed her. About a month ago, I saw him in Ilorin, riding a motorcycle. We had a conversation and he narrated what led to his sister-in-law’s death.

“Thereafter, he told me that he had a plan for us to do an evil work. I asked about the type of work, and he mentioned one Mallam Idris that he wanted us to kidnap. He asked whether I had other boys that would join us, but I replied him that I had never been involved in such a crime. As an orphan, I had been riding okada as a means of survival. He gave me an assurance that we would not be caught. He gave me his phone number and continuously called me, but I was not picking the calls because of the fear I had. He had to come looking for me. He told me it was time for us to go for the kidnap operation,” Shina said.

He continued: “We left Ilorin. He was even the one who paid my transport fare, and we eventually got to Maya. Contrary to what Umaru said, he was the one who called and brought in Abdullahi to join us, not me. It was Abdullahi who got a gun from Sunday. On the day of the operation, we hid in the bush, and Abdullahi came to join us at about 9p.m. After midnight, we left the bush for Ebinpejo Village and got there after 1a.m. Umaru first checked the houses round and came to tell us that the targeted man, Idris, was not at home.

“Abdullahi stayed outside, holding the gun we took for the operation. He was on the watchout. Later, Umaru used the cutlass he was holding to force the door open. I also assisted him. Mallam Idris’ wife raised an alarm, asking for help, but no one could come. We got in and asked for Idris, and she told us he had gone to Bani Community. Umaru then went for two male children whom he handed over to Abdullahi.

“We walked in the bush with the children for about four hours until we rested when the day was already bright. Abdullahi told us he wanted to leave, but I didn’t agree with him, telling him that we were all in it and would have to bear everything together.

“I slept, and by the time I woke up, I couldn’t see Abdullahi. He had left. At about 9 or 10a.m., it was Umaru who tapped me that operatives, including Amotekun Corps and vigilantes, had come. We all fled in different directions and hid, but I was found later in the evening. It was Abdullahi who had the gun with him. I believed he also met the security forces on his way out but still escaped before he was later found where he was hiding with some relations. I learnt that Umaru was hit by bullets and was shortly after found where he tried to hide with the gunshot wound he sustained.”

Abdullahi, who said he was born in Maya, but his parents came from Ilorin, confessed: “Walahi, I was invited to be part of the kidnap operation by Umaru. When he got to Maya, he collected my phone number from someone and asked me for a gun. I told him I didn’t know how to get one. He had not told me about the kidnap operation then. He begged me to help. Also, Umaru knew Sunday who lived in a village, and he asked me to go to him to ask for a gun. Later, he asked me to give him Sunday’s number, called him and concluded an arrangement with him to hand the gun over to me. I didn’t ask Umaru what he wanted to use it for. I knew he fought with his sister-in-law and she died.

“Sunday gave me the gun, but it was not functioning well. It was when I got to Umaru later in the night to give him the gun that he disclosed his intention to me. Shina was with him. He told us that we would go to abduct Mallam Idris. I had a misgiving about what he said, telling him I had never done such a thing, but he replied that a cleric had already told him that the operation would be successful.

“He took us to the village where Mallam Idris and others live. It is true I stood near a bush and held the malfunctioning gun. Umaru brought the two kidnapped children, and they were held by him and Shina. We entered the forest and started walking. Inside the bush, I told Umaru and Shina that I could not stay. I left with the gun I was given. On my way out, I met local hunters. They saw me with a gun and shot at me twice. I started running and threw the gun away. The hunter shot me the third time (showing the bullet wound).

“I crossed a river and went to Agbeniga settlement to stay with relatives. That was where I was arrested.”

Sunday, who gave his age as 31 years, and said he hailed from Oja Odan in Ogun State, stated: “I live in a farm opposite the Oshoogun Community, close to Maya, where I’m into farming. I didn’t know Shina and Umaru. I only knew Abdullahi, and he had been asking me for a gun, with the complaint that thieves were stealing cows from him. My father was a hunter before he died, and the gun was given to my brother as the eldest, but it was no longer functioning, so I was rest assured that it would not be useful. I didn’t know it would be used for crime. My lack of education and ignorance about the law led me into my current trouble.

“Some people came to me to inform me that my name was mentioned by those arrested that they got the gun they used from me, and I admitted it, though I didn’t know their motive. I was arrested immediately.”

The two victims, Saliu and Mohammed, seven years old, whose words were interpreted, told Saturday Tribune: “We were woken up from sleep and made to walk barefooted from our residence into the bush. When we got to a spot, we were told to lie down and sleep, and we did. They did not beat us, but we were not fed till we were rescued.”

The father of one of the victims, Mallam Idris Saliu, also spoke with the Saturday Tribune: “I’m a cattle owner. I was not at home when the kidnappers came. I had travelled to Bani for about 10 days. At about 3a.m., the ringtone of my phone woke me up. I saw my wife’s number. Immediately, I knew there was a problem. As I picked the call, my brother collected the phone from me and was told that kidnappers invaded our abode and took away two children who belong to me and my younger brother. My brother was at home when they came, but immediately he heard them banging the door to my wife’s room, he ran into the bush. I wondered what the children did that could warrant such a wicked treatment. I was so afraid that I could not return home that day. I came back on Sunday, and was happy that the children had been rescued. I knew Umaru. We were living in the same village and I never knew he could do such a thing. I didn’t even know I was his target. I just heard him when he was being interrogated.”

The PPRO said that further investigation continues on the matter. (Saturday Tribune)