Police Unmask Suspected Kidnappers Wearing Hijab, Niqab in Katsina

Rasaq AbdulKareem/

The police in Katsina State have unmasked a man who set out on a kidnapping mission wearing Hijab and Niqab like a woman.

According to the police, the suspect was with another man posing as a husband. They were on a mission to kidnap the 4-year-old son of the Assistant Accountant General in Katsina State, Alhaji Rabi’u Gide.

Kaduna police spokesman, DSP Gambo Isah, told NewsmakersNG that the gang was smashed following a tip off at about 6pm on April 4.

Isah revealed in a statement that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) at GRA Division in Katsina, CSP Garba Isah, busted the gang of kidnappers after receiving a distress call of unusual movement of two men with one among them wearing Hijab and Niqab covering his body and face like a woman very close to INEC State Headquarters Office, GRA, Katsina.

He stated: “The DPO swiftly swung into action and led a Surveillance team to the area, where one Mubarak Babangida ‘m’ aged 21 years, of Dutsen Safe Low Cost Housing Estate and Abubakar Lawal Suleiman ‘m’ aged 19 years, of Kerau qrts, Katsina; Aliyu Lawal, aged 22years of Adoro Qrts, Katsina and Nura Abdulhamid alias Bazgi ‘m’ aged 22 years of Filin Pipes Katsina were arrested with Hijab and Niqab.

“Suspects have confessed to be planning to kidnap one Muhammad Rabi’u ‘m’ aged 4 years; a son to one Alhaji Rabi’u Gide, the Katsina State Assistant Accountant General. Investigation into this case is ongoing.”

Isah also mentioned the arrest of some armed robbery and kidnapping suspects, at Danmusa area of the state, at about 2pm on March 9.

The arrest also followed a tip off.

Isah stated: “The Command succeeded in arresting one Gambo Lawal ‘m” aged 26 years of Danmusa LGA of Katsina State. Nemesis caught up with him, when he and other members of his syndicate (now at large) were planning to kidnap one Alhaji Mustapha Kabir ‘m’ of Dogon Gida Qrts, Danmusa LGA, Katsina State.

“Several SIM cards used in the commission of the offence were recovered from him during police investigation. Suspect has confessed to the crime and other similar armed robbery/kidnapping incidents in the area. Effort is on top gear to arrest other members of his syndicate.”

Also mentioned was the case of a gang of suspected armed robbers and kidnappers
at Kafur area of Katsina.

The gang was smashed on March 1, after the police received complaints from one Haruna Bello and Nuhu Yusuf based in Gozaki Village, in Kafur.

They had reported that they were threatened through, telephone calls, by unknown persons that they would be kidnapped and killed if they did not send the sum of N3,000,000.

Isah further stated: “Consequently, they paid N300, 000 to the hoodlums with the promise to pay the balance later in order to avoid being kidnapped or killed.

“Thereafter, they reported the matter to DPO Kafur and immediately the Command’s Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) swung into action, traced and arrested the following suspects in connection with the case: Joshua Yohanna ‘m’ aged 22 years; Musa Ibrahim ‘m’ alias “KAMFANI” aged 25 years; Nafiu Umar ‘m’ aged 32 years; Kabir Lawal ‘m’ aged 28 years; all of Kafur LGA in Katsina State.
“Suspects have confessed to the commission of the offence. SIM cards used in the commission of the offence and other incriminating evidence were recovered from their possession during police search. They were found to be the ones terrorizing Kafur and Danja LGAs of Katsina State.”

All the suspects were paraded today by the Katsina State commissioner of police (CP) Muhammed Wakili.

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