Edo Police Arrest Islamic Teacher for Allegedly Preparing Charms for Kidnappers

The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 52-year-old Islamic teacher, Jubril Ibrahim, for allegedly preparing charms for suspected kidnappers operating in the Edo North Senatorial District.

Ibrahim was paraded alongside four suspected kidnappers and six other suspects at the command headquarters in Benin City on Tuesday.

Parading the suspects, the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daor, said the suspected kidnappers were arrested in Niger State following intelligence gathered by operatives of the command.

Ibrahim, however, denied preparing charms for the suspects, saying he only prayed for one of them, Ahmadu Suleiman, at the request of the suspect's mother.

"I gather Almajiri and teach them the Qur'an. So, Ahmadu Suleiman's mother came to me and said I should be praying for her son, that he travels a lot, so I should pray for his safe trip to and from, and that is what I have been doing. I pray for him to have a safe trip," Ibrahim said through an interpreter.

When asked whether he knew that Suleiman owned an AK-47 rifle, Ibrahim admitted that he was aware the suspect had a gun.

Suleiman, 24, who also spoke through an interpreter, confessed to taking part in a kidnapping operation in Auchi, saying he worked with different kidnapping syndicates across the country and returned to his base in Niger State after each operation.

"When we get to the community, we look for a beautiful house and shoot into the air, and in the process of scampering for their lives, they run out, and we hold them and take them to the bush and demand money," he said.

"I got N1m from the Auchi operation, and that was the only kidnapping I involved myself in in that area," he added.

Asked whether the syndicate had informants in the communities they attacked, Suleiman said they did not, explaining that they instead picked their targets by looking out for expensive cars and buildings.

The police also paraded a 21-year-old suspect allegedly involved in the theft of a baby at Ring Road, Benin City, and recovered a stolen vehicle.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, said the arrests were made possible through intelligence gathered by operatives of the command.

Ikoedem urged members of the public to continue assisting the police by providing credible information that could help prevent crime and apprehend criminal elements.