The Kano State Police Command has arrested and paraded three suspects linked to the kidnapping and tragic killing of retired Permanent Secretary and former Chairman of the Gombe State Board of Internal Revenue Service, Atiku Mu’azu.
Mu’azu, aged 64, was kidnapped on January 8, 2025, in Kano, where he had resided since his retirement. His body was found after a ransom of N2 million was paid to the kidnappers.
The police identified the suspects as: Abubakar Hassan, a.k.a. Captain, aged 33, from Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State, described as the mastermind behind the kidnapping.
Also paraded is Adamu Abubakar Adam, aged 29, from Sharada Quarters, Kano, who allegedly received the N2 million ransom and Alhaji Hamisu, a.k.a. Bakin Bross, aged 34, from Ringim, Jigawa State, whose house was used to hold the victim hostage for three days.
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Briefing journalists at the Kano Police Headquarters on January 27, 2025, Commissioner of Police (CP) Salman Dogo Garba explained how the crime unfolded.
According to the CP, Hassan lured Mu’azu to Jigawa State under the pretense of helping him retrieve his car from a mechanic in Kazaure Local Government Area.
Instead, Hassan conspired with four others, including the mechanic, to kidnap and detain Mu’azu in Ringim. The kidnappers demanded N20 million in ransom but ultimately accepted N2 million before killing the victim.
However, a toy gun with six rubber bullets was recovered from Hassan during his arrest.
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“Firstly, we are here to brief you on the arrest of three suspects involved in the kidnapping and the tragic killing of one Alhaji Atiku Mu’azu, a crime that has left a mark of grief within our community,” CP Garba said.
He added that the Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit conducted a sustained intelligence-led operation to arrest the suspects.
The suspects are undergoing further investigation at the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
“They will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation,” the Commissioner confirmed.
The incident has sparked outrage and grief in the community, highlighting the need for heightened security measures to curb rising cases of kidnapping in the region.