Police Arrest Suspected Kidnapper Buying Gun in Kwara

The police have caught a man suspected of being part of a kidnapping gang. He was trying to buy an AK-47 rifle for the group.

The suspect, Sanda Aliyu, was arrested on 3 August in Kaiama Local Government Area. This happened before he could finish the arms deal, according to the police.

The arrest followed tips received by the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Section. The state police made this known in a statement on Thursday through its spokesperson, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.

The police said Aliyu was in talks with another suspect, Aliyu Mohammed, who was supposed to supply the rifle. Mohammed is still on the run.

Investigators found that Aliyu had allegedly paid N1.6 million for the firearm before his arrest. “Aliyu disclosed that he wanted to acquire the AK-47 to rise to the position of a ‘Boss’ within his existing kidnapping gang,” Ms Ejire-Adeyemi said.

“He said he planned to eventually leave the group and establish and lead his own criminal gang.” The command said the investigation would find out where the money came from, identify the intended supplier of the firearm, and uncover other members of the alleged criminal network.

This arrest comes as worries grow about kidnapping and other violent crimes in Kwara State. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that police were looking into money movements linked to suspected kidnapping activities in the state. This was after a suspected kidnapper was seen withdrawing money for a planned criminal operation.

The latest arrest shows how arms buying and money transfers are part of the activities of suspected kidnapping gangs in the state. The police did not say if Aliyu was connected to the earlier case.

Mohammed, the man who was supposed to sell the AK-47, is still at large. The Commissioner of Police in Kwara, Ojo Adekimi, said the command will keep fighting against criminal groups in the state.

“There will be no respite in the ongoing offensive against criminal elements,” he said. He also urged residents to share any information that could help stop arms trafficking, kidnapping, and other crimes.