‘Why we killed Portuguese expatriate’

Suspected child trafficker nabbed in Benin City

A prime suspect in the abduction of a Portuguese expatriate, Hassan Abubakar, has explained why they killed him.Abubakar said the victim, Mr. Jose Machada, was killed out of anger because his people could not meet the ransom they demanded.

According to him, the N600,000 reportedly offered to them for his release after six days in captivity was considered “too small,” hence their decision to waste him.Abubakar disclosed this when his gang members were arrested and paraded by the police.

Also paraded was one Halti Bello, a suspected kidnapper who allegedly killed a senior member of staff of Dangote Group, Istifanus Bello, after collecting a N5 million ransom from him for the release of a worker earlier abducted by the gang.The abductors were among the 30 suspects paraded yesterday in Lokoja for various crimes as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism and cattle rustling.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, who paraded the suspects at the Kogi State Police Command, said the successes recorded were sequel to the renewed determination of the Inspector General of Police to rid the nation of crimes and criminalities, especially kidnapping and armed robbery.He said the collaboration has reduced the menace of kidnapping along the Lokoja-Ajaokuta-Anyigba, Kabba-Oshokoshoko-Obajana and Auchi-Okene-Lokoja routes.

Moshood identified members of the gang who abducted and killed the expatriate to include Umar Isiaka, Abdulkadir Abubakar, Sanusi Saleh and Abubakar Hassan.He said 11 AK47, two Barreta pistols, two revolver pistols, 334 AK 47 ammunitions, live cartridges, handsets and some military camouflage uniforms were recovered from them.He said all the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigations were concluded.

Meanwhile, a middle-aged man, suspected to be a child trafficker, has been arrested by mobile policemen in Benin City.He was found to be in possession of about eight minors, including an eight-month old baby.The incident was said to have occurred along the New Lagos road end of the New Benin Market.The man, whose identity was not disclosed, was reported to be carrying the children in his car to an unknown destination before some traders raised the alarm.

The state Commissioner of Police, Johnson Kokumo, when contacted, referred our reporter to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Chidi Chibozor.But the PPRO said he could not readily confirm the incident from the New Benin Divisional Station in the state.The state government, Benin royal palace and the police have recently expressed deep concern over growing cases of kidnappings, illegal migration of citizens of the state and other social vices.