Anyone familiar with foodstuff sellers who hawk their goods in wheelbarrows will not see the mode of business as strange, but for Issiaq (surname withheld), it was a facade to his kidnapping activities and the money rolling in from the crime, until his arrest by operatives of the Monitoring Unit of Oyo State Police Command after abduction of victims and collection of ransom.

From Bodija to Ojoo, Egbédá and Moniya markets, Issiaq used to push his wheelbarrow stocked with raw rice and beans, selling them in retail to buyers, but privately, whenever the call from gang members came for another kidnap operation, he was quick to dump his cover-up business, with the excitement of making quick money without much stress.

This was the confession of Issiaq who was one of suspects the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola, spoke about while briefing journalists recently. CP Abimbola said that Issiaq and two others, Bior and Umaru, were nabbed by the Command’s Monitoring Unit operatives. Two other suspects, Umoru and Sanda, he stated, are currently at large. The runaway Umoru reportedly went to dig the AK-47 rifles they were operating with inside a deep forest under a bamboo tree immediately he learnt of the arrest of others, and the sites dug to exhume the hidden weapons were seen by Monitoring Unit operatives when other suspects took them there.

According to CP Abimbola, members of the kidnap gang to which Isiaq belonged went to Baabi village via Oyo Town on January 20. Armed with AK-47 rifles, they abducted one Supodu Saheed, and carted away two motorcycles. A week later, on January 27, they also invaded Ayetoro Village via Oyo Town, broke into the residence of two Fulani cattle owners, Gurumo and Adamu Issa, attacked and dispossessed them of their mobile phones. In addition, they carted away two motorcycles belonging to the victim’s brothers who managed to escape into the bush when they sighted the attackers.

The suspects also abducted Gurumo and Adamu and took them to a hideout in the forest where they demanded N30 million from their families as ransom, with a threat to kill the victims if the payment was not made or delayed.

“While efforts were ongoing to track the perpetrators, the family of their first victim paid N10 million, leading to his release after three days in captivity. The two other victims were released after five days following the payment of N15 million.

“Subsequently, the victims were invited to the Monitoring Unit, where they provided detailed accounts and useful intelligence. Discreet investigation and sustained intelligence gathering led to the arrest of three members of the syndicate in their respective hideouts.

“The suspects confessed to the crime and admitted to being armed with AK-47 rifles which they claimed were in the possession of fleeing members of the gang. They also confessed to several other kidnapping and armed robbery operations across Oyo State. Investigation is ongoing to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate,” the police boss told journalists at the press briefing.

Investigation by Saturday Tribune revealed that one of the arrested suspects, Umaru, was invited to join the gang at Kara Oyo by one Bello, currently at large after he was asked if he didn’t need money. Umaru, in turn, invited Bior, and they were told of the intention to kidnap people. The role played by Bior was to give information to the gang about Fulani cattle owners that he knew as successful. Umaru was also said to be one who introduced Issiaq to others, informing them that he knew those who possessed guns since he was staying at Kara area of Bodija Market in Ibadan. It was learnt that the operatives apprehended Issiaq at Orogun area in Ibadan.

In his confession, Issiaq, aged 25, from Katsina State, said: “I was selling rice and beans in a wheelbarrow which I was popularly known for, but I was using that to hide my membership of the kidnap gang. No one knew my involvement in the crime. I used to go to Egbédá, Olódó and Moniya, among other markets, to sell the foodstuffs also.

“It was Umaru who invited me for kidnapping, but I didn’t follow the gang on the first operation. I didn’t know where the victim was picked from. However, I was the one who took food to my five gang members and the victim held hostage in the bush. I was given N500,000 out of N10 million collected as ransom.

“I went with the gang on the second operation and was given N1.5 million out of the N15 million ransom paid by the victim’s family members.

“Another Umoru, currently at large, was our gang leader. The person who had AK-47 rifles was Sanda. He had many but used to bring two with ammunition for kidnap operations.”

How I was arrested

“After Umaru’s arrest, he mentioned Bior as the informant. When Bior was also arrested, he told the police that I was the one who used to bring those that joined the gang and other weapons.”

Bior, in the Yoruba language, also told Saturday Tribune about his escapades in the crime world: “I was born in Ilesa Baruba, Kwara State, but grew up in Oyo Town. However, my family is from Parakou in the Republic of Benin. I am 25 years old. I’m a farmer and a herder. I leased a piece of land which I was using for farming, and I live at Areago village. I had two wives, but one of them is dead. I have nine children.

“I joined a gang of kidnappers in January this year, and I only participated twice. I was introduced to the crime by one Umaru who is a friend. We were living together in Oyo. One day, he told me that his friend in Ibadan, Issiaq, asked him to tell me to inform the gang of any wealthy person I knew of, so that we would get money from such. For about two months, he kept asking me, after which I agreed to do what he asked. I gave them information about two people who are from our tribe. They were also resident in Oyo.”

How we executed the kidnap operations

“We kidnapped the victims on different days. The first time, seven of us went for the operation. We used two AK-47 rifles which were held by Umoru and Òró.

“We invaded our victim’s residence at midnight. We abducted him, and took him into the Forest Reserve. I didn’t follow them. We told him the reason for the kidnapping which was to get money from him. Issiaq was the one who used to buy food from Ibadan to give them in the bush.

“After the payment of ransom by the victim, he was released after three days and I was given N1 million as my share. I got N1.5 million the second time after the release of the two victims.”

The third suspect, Umaru, who is 36 years old and hails from Kano State, said that he was into cattle rearing and farming, but was also part of the kidnappings.

“I was called by my friend, Sanda, who told me to inform one Umoru, a gang member, if I ever needed help. He also introduced me to Issiaq who asked me to look for wealthy cattle owners. When I saw Bior, I told him to give the gang information about wealthy people known to him. He did,” the suspect narrated.

Umaru disclosed that he also got N1 million and N1.5 million as his share of ransom payments for the first and second kidnap operations, respectively.