The Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, has discovered a new terrorist group.
The sect is called Jama’atu Ansaril Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan or the Vanguard for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa.
Police say the group was behind several abduction and killings in the North-East in recent months.
The group became a top priority after IGP Mohammed Adamu received petitions showing that its members had been sending emails to different companies, threatening to kidnap their expatriates if the companies didn’t pay them N50million annually.
The sect was behind the kidnap of two expatriates working with Triacta Nigeria Limited, a construction company.
According to The Eagle Online, the IRT has arrested nine members and recovered 204 rounds of AK47 live ammunition, military uniforms, operational vehicle, drugs and foodstuffs meant to be conveyed to members inside Birnin Gwari bush in Kaduna State.
The suspects are Mustapha Aminu, 23, aka China, of Tudun Nupawa, Kaduna State; Saidu Aminu, 26, aka Dawud, of Tudun Nupawa, Kaduna State; Aminu Shuaibu, 33, aka Abu Mus’ab, of Rigasa, Kaduna State; Ishak Khalid, 30, aka Uztaz, of Maraban, Jos, Plateau State.
Others are Abubakar Yusuf, 24, aka AY, of Rigasa, Kaduna State; Awal Umar Tela, 34, of Maraban, Jos, Plateau State; Abubakar Isah Muhammad, 25, aka Khalifa Abu Aisara, of Dala, Kano State; Shuaibu Ahmadu, 25, from Katsina State; and Abubakar Mustafa, 32, of Maraban, Jos, Plateau State.
The gang terrorized workers of Triacta Limited and was also responsible for attacks on Mothercat Construction Company Limited.
A source said: “The suspects have confessed to the kidnapping of the two expatriates, Zaid Alas from Jordan and Isah Jabour, a Syrian, working with Triacta Limited at Shiroro, Niger State. The victims were kidnapped on December 9, 2019 and the group’s leaders, Dogo Gide and Mahmud, led the operation.
“The group collected N120 million as ransom and each member was given between N200,000 to N300,000. The suspects also confessed that their group was responsible for attacking Mothercat Construction Company as well as the kidnapping of Magajin Garin Daura in Katsina State.”