A 25-year-old suspected kidnapper from Shongom Local Government Area of Gombe State has been nabbed by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps for an alleged attempt to kidnap a 70-year-old Usman Mohammed in Koburga, a border town between Billiri and Kaltungo Local Government Area.
Our correspondent reports that Lawal inflicted varying degrees of injuries on the victim around the ear and shoulder regions.
Parading the suspect on Tuesday, State Commandant Waziri Goni described the suspect Lawal as a serial kidnapper that gave security agencies difficult times in the past, adding that he had caused havoc with his gang.
Goni revealed that the corps succeeded in quelling the attack through the collaboration of residents, urging them not to relent in providing accurate information that would make the state more peaceful.
According to the Commandant, Lawal operated around Shongom, Billiri, and Kaltungo. He apprehended people for ransom and killing. God is kind that with relevant information, our officers went there and at the end of the day, he was apprehended with one pistol, cutlass, and other weapons. They cut Mohammed with a cutlass and shot at him, but by God’s grace, it didn’t penetrate.
“The remaining members of the gangs, about four others, ran away with their AK-47s and some other rifles. They are the notorious gang that roams about in the Gombe metropolis, they gave headaches to security agencies. Thank God we have one of them and about six others in prison and the other four, by God’s grace, we will get them,” he said.
Goni added that kidnapping had turned into a disaster waiting to consume the populace, adding that with synergy sanity would be restored.
“The operation became successful due to my officer’s intelligence report and the collaboration from residents. Thank God they (residents) have realised their roles, they called us. Intelligence agencies across the world become successful because of information, we have security at nooks and crannies but they are to call us ours is enforcement,” Goni said.
He added that the command would commence legal prosecution of the suspect immediately, noting that efforts were on to complete the legal processes.
Narrating his ordeal, the victim, Mohammed, told journalists how the attackers invaded his home located in Koburga by 1 am, adding that he was shot at but the bullet didn’t cause him harm.
He said, “I was fast asleep around 1 am when the suspect entered with his gun and other weapons. He shot but didn’t get me, but he used the cutlass to cut my ear and my shoulder. It was then my child of 33 years heard the sound and came to find out what happened only to realise a strange person in our house, and then, a fight ensued.”
Responding to why the bullet didn’t penetrate, Mohammed ascribed it to the power of God, adding, “there was nothing, it was just the will of God that when the suspect shot, he didn’t get him, not that I have charms or anything.”
