6th November, 2021
By Aminu Garko
The Niger state government has demolished a house belonging to one Mohammadu Umar, suspected to be one of the kidnappers involved in recent abduction at University of Abuja.
The house of the kidnap suspect who is currently with security personnel was demolished at Nakagbe in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger, Mr Emmanuel Umaru, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs told journalists in Minna on Saturday.
He explained that the suspect who is currently in the custody of security operatives was one of those behind Monday’s kidnap of two professors and four of their family members at the University of Abuja.
Umaru said the suspect used proceeds of kidnap and other crimes to buy the house.
He added that security agencies already identified Umar as prime suspect in the abduction.
The commissioner said that the suspect’s confessional statement led to the rescue of the kidnap victims and members of their families.
“We will not allow kidnappers, bandits or any criminal to make our state a safe haven,’’ he said.
Umaru called on residents to be vigilant and be security conscious and to also report strange movements to security agencies.
The commissioner said that the state government along with security agencies had already mapped out a comprehensive security strategy to flush out all criminals from the state.
“We will give all the necessary support to the police and other security agencies in the on-going fight against banditry, kidnapping and other crimes.
“We have already reached out to traditional rulers and other stakeholders to support security agencies with intelligence information that could aid in apprehending miscreants,’’ he said.
The commissioner appealed to residents not to hesitate to report any person or group of people with questionable character to the nearest security agency for prompt action.