We Killed Portuguese Because N600,000 Ransom Was Too Small’

Hassan Abubakar, leader of the gang that abducted and killed a Portuguese, has said they killed their victim because the N600,000 offered to them for his release was considered “too small.”

Members of the four-man gang, which abducted and killed the Portuguese, Mr. Jose Machada, construction engineer attached to Dangote Construction Company, were among the 30 suspects arrested for various offences such as robbery, kidnapping, cultism and cattle rustling across Kogi State.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Jimoh Moshood, who paraded the suspects at the Kogi State Police Command, said the IGP Special Anti-Crime Task Force as well as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Kogi Police Command, have been working in synergy to tackle the menace of kidnapping along Lokoja-Ajaokuta-Anyigba, Kabba-Oshokoshoko-Obajana and Auchi-Okene-Lokoja routes.

He identified members of the gang that abducted and killed the expatriate to include Umar Isiaka, Abdulkadir Abubakar, Sanusi Saleh and Abubakar Hassan.

He said: “Following the abduction of the expatriate along the Oshokoshoko Road on October 23, and his subsequent killing, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Kogi Command, led by DSP Babagana Bukar, in synergy with Department of State Services, DSS, swung into action and arrested the suspects.”

Also paraded is one Halti Bello, a suspected kidnapper, who allegedly killed a senior staff of Dangote Group after collecting a ransom of N5 million.

He said exhibits recovered from the suspects include 11 AK-47 rifles, two Berretta pistols, two revolver pistols, 334 AK-47 ammunition, live cartridges, handsets and some military camouflage uniforms. Moshood said the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations. He assured Nigerians of the Police’s commitment to the protection of lives and properties across the country.

Vanguard