The Borno State Police Command has arrested four suspected kidnappers and a drug trafficker after intercepting 248 bags of Indian hemp in Maiduguri metropolis. The market value of the dried weeds was about N79.4 million. Parading the suspects on Monday in Maiduguri, the Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu said: “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Askira mobilized personnel and members of Civilian JTF on December 13, 2018 to Usman Hassan’s house, the abductee; to lay an ambush on kidnappers to collect a ransom of N21 million from relatives. “Usman Abdu took the police to the kidnappers’ hideout, where two others suspects were also arrested, while Hassan was rescued without being hurt.” He said that Musa Haruna, in whose house the plans of abduction were hatched, was also arrested. According to him, five relations of the victim were injured during the rescue operation and currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Mubi, Adamawa state. The police chief said that arms recovered from the suspects, include an AK-47 rifle, single barrel gun, berretta pistol and two pieces of ammunition. He said the suspects, during preliminary investigations confessed that they organise the abduction to recover 47 cows and 83 sheep earlier stolen. He said that the police are on trial of fleeing other suspects. On drug trafficker’s arrest, Chukwu said: “Aladejobi also confirmed during interrogation that he and one Mr. Innocent, the driver of truck, who escaped on sighting the police, conveyed the consignment from Edo state.” The consignment, according to him, was to be delivered to a customer in Maiduguri. “The customer/dealer is known by only Mr. Innocent; who escaped,” he said. On court’s order to destroy the hemp, he said: “The suspect, Aladjobi, was on June 8, 2015, arraigned before a Federal High Court, Maiduguri, where he was prosecuted and convicted. “The Court thereafter ordered the Indian hemp to be publicly destroyed,” adding that that prompts the police to destroyed 248 bags of drug yesterday by burning.
