Abdulrasheed Maigari, a former operative of Department of State Services was among the 11 suspects paraded by the Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday in connection with the kidnapping of Alhaji Isa Salami, former General Manager of Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria ( PAN).
Salami was kidnapped in Maitama, Abuja on March 21.
The others suspects are: Kelvin Emeka, 28, gang leader, a native of Owgwu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Ndubuisi Ozor, 31, from Nsukwato Local Government Area of Abia, Sunday Travnor, 33, of Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and Zayor Alfred, 23, of Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The others are Avah Joseph, 25, of Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue, Rajab Ishiaka, 22 of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba, Ali Sani, 27 of Takum Local Government Area of Taraba, Nuhu Sule, 20 of Takum Local Government Area of Taraba and Mohammed Abubakar, 21 of Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger.
Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood told journalists that the suspects were arrested by the I-G Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the anti-kidnap squad of the FCT Police Command between March 26 and March 28 in Abuja.
He listed items recovered from them gang to include one AK 47 rifle, three AK 47 magazines, 90 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, two pistols, 14 rounds 9mm live ammunition and a two bedroom flat at different locations.
Moshood also said the victim was rescued from the kidnappers’ hideout, a two bedroom house rented by them in a remote part of Suleija, Niger.
The Police image maker said Emeka and his gang were earlier charged to a High Court in Gwagwalada in October for kidnapping a lady (name withheld) and several others in Abuja.
“This suspect and his gang were released by the court on Dec. 8, less than eight weeks after being charged for kidnapping and robbery,” the force spokesman said.
Moshood said that the suspects were identified by their victims and they confessed to the crime and the various roles they had played.
He said that the police were not to be blamed for the release of the suspects by the court, adding that the police had provided all evidences required to prosecute them.
He called on all criminal justice officers to always discharge their duties diligently to avoid criminals escaping justice.
The force spokesman said that the I-G has assured the FCT residents and other states of the federation of adequate security.
He also implored them to cooperate with the police deployed in their localities to serve them better by providing useful information to the police.
He said the suspects would be charged to court after completion of investigation.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four kidnap cases were reported in Kwali Area Council, two in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and one in Bwari and Abaji Area Councils each in 2016.
