A young woman, Maryam Mohammed, aged 23 has been arrested by members of the Nigerian Police Force in Kano for allegedly kidnapping her ex-boyfriend who refused to marry her after dating her for years.
Maryam, popularly called Hajiya, was arrested by the police at Jaba quarters, Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano State while negotiating a ransom with the family of one of their captives last Tuesday, January 12.
According to Maryam, she was introduced to kidnapping by her uncle, one Hamza Dogo of Butsa village, Gusau local government of Zamfara State after she had parted ways with her ex-boyfriend.
She said: “I was introduced into kidnapping by my uncle called Hamza from Butsa village, Gusau local government of Zamfara State and the first person we kidnapped was my ex-boyfriend who refused to marry me despite my efforts to get him convinced during our years of courtship.
“After he had dumped me, my uncle asked me to bring him so that we could hold him until he pays money before we could release him.
“When we kidnapped him, his family paid N5 million to secure his freedom and out of that amount I was given N800,000 with which I rented that house at Jaba quarters.”
The spokesperson of the state police command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, while parading the suspects, said investigation conducted by the police revealed that Maryam’s former husband, one Sani Ismail, of Bidda LGA of Niger State, was a notorious cattle rustler who was killed in Butsa Village, Gusau LGA of Zamfara State while carting away rustled cows.
The PPRO said: “After the death of the husband, her brother, one Hamza Dogo of Butsa Village, Gusau LGA of Zamfara State, also a notorious kidnapper relocated her to Kano where she rented apartments in Unguwa Uku, Panshekara and Maidile Quarters.
“She later moved to Jaba Quarters and rented another apartment for N600,000 per annum, which she turned into a kidnappers’ den”.
