A 52-year-old Islamic teacher, Jubril Ibrahim, has been arrested by the Edo State Police Command for allegedly preparing charms for suspected kidnappers operating in the state.

Ibrahim was among suspects paraded by the police in Benin City, alongside four alleged kidnappers accused of terrorising communities in the Edo North Senatorial District, particularly the Auchi, Jattu and Okpella axes.

Also paraded were nine other suspects arrested in connection with various crimes.

Parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daor, said the alleged kidnappers were arrested in Niger State following intelligence gathered by the command.

But Ibrahim denied having any involvement in kidnapping or preparing charms for the suspects. Speaking through an interpreter, he said his relationship with one of the alleged kidnappers, 24-year-old Ahmadu Suleiman, was strictly religious.

According to him, Suleiman’s mother had approached him to pray for her son because he travelled frequently.

“I gather Almajiri and teach them the Qur’an. Ahmadu Suleiman’s mother came to me and asked me to pray for her son because he travels a lot. She wanted me to pray for his safety on his journeys, and that is what I have been doing,” he said.

However, when asked whether he knew that Suleiman possessed an AK-47 rifle, Ibrahim admitted that he was aware the suspect had a gun.

Suleiman, on his part, confessed to participating in a kidnapping operation in Auchi. He also claimed that he worked with different kidnapping syndicates across the country before returning to his base in Niger State.

Describing how the gang allegedly operated, Suleiman said the suspects would identify houses they considered attractive before shooting into the air to frighten residents.

“When we get to a community, we look for a beautiful house and shoot into the air. As people run out in fear, we hold them and take them into the bush and demand money,” he said.

Suleiman claimed he received N1 million from the Auchi operation, which he said was the only kidnapping operation he participated in within the area.

He also denied that the gang relied on informants, saying they selected targets based mainly on the appearance of houses and vehicles.

“They look out for fancy cars and buildings whenever they want to kidnap,” he said.

The police also paraded a 21-year-old suspect accused of stealing a one-and-a-half-year-old baby at Ring Road, Benin City.

The Commissioner said the arrests formed part of ongoing efforts by the command to dismantle criminal networks and improve security across Edo State.