Security
In five minutes operation, American soldiers stormed our hideout in Sokoto forest, rescued our hostage – Kidnapper
The kidnappers of an American citizen, Philip Nathan, who was abducted from his farmhouse at Nasalata village in Niger Republic on October 21, have revealed how American soldiers swooped on them in a helicopter to rescue their victim in the dead of the night.
The suspects, Aliyu Umar, 23, and Ali Abdulahi, 21, said that they had taken their hostage to a thick forest in Sokoto State, where they kept him for one week and provided 24-hour security to ensure he does not escape when from nowhere an helicopter hovered around where he was kept with white soldiers jumping down and killing all their gang members before taking their victim away without stress.
Aliyu told Sunday Sun in an interview that the whole operation did not last more than five minutes.
He said that he and his colleague Ali Abdulahi escaped being killed by the invading soldiers because they were off duty on the night that the American Seal carried out the operation.
He said that he watched the whole drama from a distance in a house they had taken refuge not too far from the spot they kept their hostage when the helicopter arrived in the area, hovered for sometime before the soldiers jumped out.
The suspect, however, said that he cannot remember the exact time of the night as he and his colleagues were too afraid to go out.
He also said that they did not hear the sound of any gunshot during the operation, but that it was only when they got there in the morning that they met the dead bodies of all their colleagues.
The suspects who are in police custody narrated how they kidnapped the American while he was relaxing in his farmhouse.
According to him, they went in about 12 motorcycles and worked with two other kidnap gangs, making them a total of over 20, that went for the operation.
On getting to the farm, he said that they met the victim who was in his house relaxing on the fateful day and surrounded him.
On sighting them, he said that the American offered to give them 20,000 Cefas, but they rejected the offer and took him away because they wanted their money in dollars.
After rounding him up, he said that they put him in one of the motorcycles with three other people to ensure he does not act funny and rode to the forest in Sokoto, where they have their hideout.
Sunday Sun brings you this interview from the suspect who was paraded by the police in Abuja:
“My name is Aliyu Umar, (aka Kwatte). I am 23 years old and a native of Kalmalu village in Illela Local Government Area of Sokoto State. I belong to a nine-man kidnap gang and I have been in the kidnapping business for sometime now and I have participated in several kidnappings both in Nigeria and Niger Republic.
Some members of my gang are from Nigeria, some from Niger and some from Arab countries. I have made plenty of money in the kidnap business, but I cannot stop because there is plenty of money there.
“When we planned to kidnap the American, we decided to hire the services of our other colleagues from another group because we suspect that he may be having some people guarding him. We planned everything very well and rounded him up at his farmhouse. We went in about 12 motorcycles with over 20 of us. When we got there, we found him relaxing in one of his rooms and when he saw us he started pleading with us not to take him away, but we refused. He even offered us 20,000 Cefas, but we rejected the money because that was too small compared to what we were expecting to get from the American government when we kidnap him.
“So, we took him away in one of the motorcycles, two people sat behind him and the driver so that he will not escape because Americans are very smart people. When we took him, we drove for about five hours until we got to the place where we usually keep our hostages. We kept him with us for one good week and my boss made contact with his people who agreed to pay the amount we were asking for. We took good care of him because we needed the money. We carried out shift duties to ensure he does not escape. We took turns in this aspect. But something happened on the night that I was off duty and the whole thing was like a dream because we watched it from a house we live that is not very far from our hostage area. That day in the midnight, I just saw helicopter flying around the area and then after sometime, it started going round and before I knew what was happening, soldiers started jumping out from the helicopter and the soldiers were white men and after sometime, they climbed back into the helicopter and flew away. This whole thing did not last more than five minutes and we did not hear any sound of gunshot. When we saw the soldiers, we were afraid that they were going to kill us so we hid ourselves until in the morning when we did not hear any footstep; we went to see if our colleagues were okay. But on getting there, we found them all dead and when we examined their bodies they were shot and we did not even hear the sound of gunshot. We also did not see our victim again that was when we knew that the white soldiers had taken him and we were afraid and ran away.
“On how he was arrested, he said he was arrested after the police used the telephone number with which they used to negotiate for the ransom for the American to track him.”
Source: Sunday Sun
As public outrage continue to trail the killing of travelers in Uromi, Edo State on Thursday 27th March, 2025, the Nigerian Police authorities in the State has announced the arrest of 14 suspects in connection with the killing.
The victims said, to be hunters were travelling to the Northern part of the country when mob swooped and killed them on suspicion that they are Fulani kidnapper.
The Police said, they are 16 powers and all of them were killed.
The Spokesman for the Police Command, Moses Yamu said some persons have been arrested in connection with the attack.
“In the course of investigations, fourteen (14) suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime, while an emergency meeting was convened with stakeholders and members of the community to address the situation,” Yamu said in a statement on Friday.
Narrating how the incident happened, the Edo Police Command said it occurred when a “truck with registration number KKF 225 XA coming from Port Harcourt, conveying 25 travellers from Elele, a suburb of Rivers State, was accosted by some vigilante group members at Uromi, and some of the travelers who found in possession of locally made dane guns were arrested”.
“While this was ongoing, some vigilante members raised an alarm of them being suspected kidnappers, which led some members and passersby in the community to attack and lynch sixteen (16) of the occupants while the truck conveying them was equally burnt.
“Police operatives attached to the Uromi Division got wind of the incident and swiftly stormed the scene where ten (10) of the travelers were rescued, two of whom sustained various degrees of injuries and were rushed to a hospital where they are currently positively responding to treatment.”
Yamu said a unit of Police Mobile Force personnel with other command tactical teams had been deployed to the area to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
The police said “investigations continue” over the incident and cautioned “against any form of reprisal attacks”.
The new Commissioner of Police in Niger State, CP Abdullahi Adamu Elleman has sent a strong warning to criminals operating in the State and vowed that his tenure as a Police boss would change the tide for them or else they should relocate elsewhere.
He sent this warning after he assumed office upon his posting to the State, insisting that criminal elements should stay clear of the State or be ready to incur the full weight of the command.
He said the command under his watch will engage a high level of professional standards in effectively policing the state calling on well meaning individual and critical stakeholders to partner with him in ensuring crime free Niger State.
According to the CP, he is already aware of the activities of youth restiveness and other criminal activities in Minna the state capital assuring that he will make the state unbearable for them.
Speaking through the Command Public Relation Officer (PPRO), while Fielding Question from Journalists at the Police headquarters in Minna Friday, Wasiu Abiodun,SP insisted that the command will not fold its hands to watch some disgruntled elements engaging in an act that will breach the security of the people.
He underscores his command preparedness to ensure the maintenance of law and order in policing the command through community related policing appealing to officers and men of the command to leave above board in making Niger State unsafe for criminal minded elements.
In his words,” as you know, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abdullahi Adamu Elleman just took over the mantle of the command on Thursday the 27th, of March 2025.
“He addressed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers and other sectional heads of the Command. He assured them of building on the legacy of his Predecessor CP Ebenezer Shawulu Danmaman.
“He also requested that they should extend their hands of fellowship to him for him to succeed in chasing and curtail the activities of these miscreants to the barest level in Minna the capital of Niger State.”
Speaking on the Command’s preparedness to ensure crime free eid ul-Fitr celebration, CP Abdullahi Adamu Elleman disclosed that the command will deploy enough personnel to all praying grounds across the state. This according to him is to ensure the safety of worshipers.
He warned parents and guardians in the state to monitor the activities of their wards and children to guard against any act that will bring them to face the wrath of the law.
While appreciating men and officers of the Command for their professional resilience in the maintenance of law and order, CP Abdullahi Elleman warned that he has zero tolerance for any act of unprofessional conducts that will bring the Command to ridicule.
In a bid to strengthen security of lives and property and to foster peaceful coexistence in Ijumu Local Government Area, the Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command CP Miller G. Dantawaye, convened a high-level meeting with key stakeholders, within the Local Government, to address pressing security concerns and enhance community Policing efforts.
In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ovye Aya, made available to CAPITAL POST on Tuesday, said, the meeting was attended by prominent dignitaries, including the State Security Adviser, Commander Jerry Omodara, Rtd, the representative of the Department of State Services (DSS); the member, representing Ijumu, at the State House of Assembly, the Honourable Commissioner for Special Duties, the Chairman of the Local Government, the Olujumu of Ijumu, as well as members of Miyetti Allah.
In his address, the CP emphasized the importance of collaboration in tackling insecurity. He called for intelligence-sharing between residents and Security Agencies, stressing that law enforcement alone cannot ensure safety without community support. He called for the effective collaboration between the Police and their host community.
He further assured of involving immigration agencies to monitor and regulate movement as well as Proper documentation that will enhance accountability and reduce security threats within the Local Government.
The meeting also addressed land ownership rights, the role of traditional institutions, and the need for structured conflict resolution. The CP urged all parties to respect existing leadership structures and seek peaceful resolutions through dialogue.
Reaffirming the Police unwavering commitment to professionalism and human rights, the CP warned against lawlessness, stating that Security Agencies are fully prepared to take action against any individual or group threatening the peace in the area. He urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities promptly.
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