The Kaduna Police Command has said that the kidnapping of an elderly man, Alhaji Rabo Jelani, was allegedly planned by his son, Yusuf Rabo, and his grandson, Ali Haruna, who is still at large.
According to the police on Tuesday, Yusuf Rabo and Musa Adamu, who are in custody, were arrested after investigations into the abduction of Alhaji Rabo Jelani.
Police investigations showed that Yusuf Rabo worked with Musa Adamu and Ali Haruna, the victim’s grandson, to kidnap the elderly man for ransom, on the claim that he had significant wealth and livestock.
It was also established that the group used AK-47 rifles during the operations. Ali Haruna was alleged to have provided one of the weapons belonging to his father, while other members supplied additional arms. One AK-47 rifle with an empty magazine was recovered during the operation.
‘Findings revealed that the victim was abducted on separate occasions and taken to forest locations where ransom negotiations were coordinated by Yusuf Rabo himself. The first abduction reportedly yielded a ransom payment of Two Million Naira (N2,000,000), while a subsequent operation generated Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N4,500,000),’ said the police.
The police also linked the group to other crimes in the area, including the kidnapping of a trader identified as Mr Iyke and an armed robbery attack along the Kagoma axis where commuters were robbed of cash and valuables.
Efforts are ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspect, Ali Haruna, and recover more weapons and items connected to the case.