‘We Have No Informants, We Target Flashy Residents’ — Kidnap Gang Leader Confesses

An alleged leader of a notorious inter-state kidnapping syndicate has revealed that his gang does not rely on informants to identify victims, but instead targets residents who appear wealthy, drive flashy cars and live in expensive houses.

The 22-year-old suspect, identified as Amendu Suleiman from Niger State, said gang members usually move around communities, identify seemingly affluent residents and return later to abduct them.

“We don’t have informants or insiders who give us information about our victims.

“We simply walk around areas of our choice in town and whoever we observe to drive good cars and live in beautiful buildings, to us is rich. Thereafter, we plan to either attack the gate during the day, invade at night or trail the target to a free location in town,” he said through an interpreter.

The suspect also admitted kidnapping a couple in Jattu town on August 8.

Suleiman was paraded alongside four other suspects by the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Patrick Daaor, at the State Police Command headquarters in Benin City last Tuesday.

CP Daaor said their arrest followed the August 8, 2026 kidnapping of a couple, Mohammed Tasiu Imokhe and his wife, in Jattu, Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State.

The police boss added that the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and Violent Crime Response Unit launched a search for the victims and their abductors, leveraging technical intelligence from the Technical Intelligence Unit, TIU, Abuja.

The operation, he noted led to the arrest of Malam Jibril Ibrahim, Mohammed Abubakar, Tukur Adam, aka Dogo, Musa Ibrahim and Iro Ibrahim in Niger State on August 30, 2026.

Malam Jubril Ibrahim, 52, who identified himself to journalists as an Islamic scholar, was alleged to be the gang’s spiritual head. He, however, denied involvement in the kidnappings, saying he only accommodated and prayed for Amendu Suleiman after the suspect’s mother brought him to him.

CP Daaor said that the operatives acted on information obtained from the suspects, and recovered two fabricated AK-47 rifles, one pump-action rifle, six magazines and 200 rounds of live AK-47 ammunition from the Okpella forest on September 1, 2026.

“Profiling of the suspects and efforts to apprehend other members of the gang are ongoing,” CP Daaor said.

The Commissioner of Police commended the operatives of the Command for their uncommon gallantry and unwavering commitment to protecting the people of Edo State.

CP Daaor lauded Governor Monday Okpebholo and Edo residents for their support, assuring law-abiding citizens of improved security.