Police arrests King Agom Adara killer, 17 kidnappers

The Nigeria Police Force Sunday said it has arrested the suspected killer of King Agom Adara in Kaduna state and 17 other “notorious” kidnappers and armed robbers.

The Police spokesman, Frank Mba, in a statement said the suspects were arrested through a series of detailed, intensive and sustained investigative operations, at different times and places across the country.

“A total of twenty- two (22) AK 47 riffles, five (5) locally fabricated pistols and a cache of live ammunition were recovered from the bandits,” Mba said.

Mba said the Police detectives using actionable intelligence obtained from the Spiritual godfather of the kidnappers and other multiple sources, tactically “smoked out” the kidnappers and “were arrested at different locations and times in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Kogi states respectively.”

He said one of the arrested bandits, Abubakar Ibrahim Alias Dan Habu, 37 years native of Igabi local Government Area of Kaduna State, has “confessed to the Kidnapping and gruesome murder of HRH King Agom Adara of Kajuru LGA and many other kidnappings and murders.”

The king was kidnapped while returning from Kaduna in October 2018, after a meeting with Governor Nasir El-Rufai. He was killed even after the demanded ransom was paid.

Mba listed the other arrested bandits as “Johnson Okafor, 44 years, native of Anambra State and resident of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State;

“Shaibu Iliyasu Alias Smally, 20 years native of Rijiana Kaduna Road Abuja; Ishaik Dabo Alias Keke 38 years native of Maraban Jos Igabi LGA of Kaduna State; Mohammed Nasiru 25 year native of Manunfashi LGA of Katsina State;

“Aminu Haruna 25 years native of Galadimawa Village in Giwa LGA of Kaduna State; Shafiu Alhaji Gudau 25 years native of Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State; Auwalu Hamisu 24 years native of Tashan Fulani village in Manunfashi LGA of Katsina State;

“Ado Ya’u, 35 years native Of Rigoji Village in Kafur LGA of Katsina State; Ibrahim Yusuf, 30yrs native of Kujama Village Kaduna State; Ibrahim Audu, 22yrs native of Kujama Village Kaduna State; Salisu Ajah, 50yrs native of Galadimawa Village Giwa LGA Kaduna State;

“Nasiru Umaru, 25yrs native of Manumfashi LGA Katsina State; Magaji Abubakar, 27yrs native of Kujama Village Kaduna State; Salisu Ali, 18yrs native of Kujama Village Kaduna State; Lawal Shadari, 22yrs native of Rijiana Village Kaduna State; Junaidu Lawal, 18yrs native of Rijiana Village Kaduna State and Usman Musa, 43yrs native of Rijiana Village Kaduna State.”

The police spokesperson said “although, the suspects belong to different loose, fairly independent but vicious criminal gangs, their operations are centrally coordinated by their spiritual godfather Salisu Abubakar.”

“Efforts are currently being intensified to arrest other gang members still at large, and recover all weapons in the gangs’ armory,” he added.