FORMER finance minister and secretary to the federal government Chief Olu Falae has positively identified three of the suspected kidnappers who abducted him from his farm near the Ondo State capital Akure last month.
On September 21, Chief Falae, 77, was abducted from his farm by armed hoodlums said to be Fulani herdsmen, who subsequently released him unharmed after his family paid them a ransom of N5m (£17,000). Following his release, the police swung into action and six of the 13 kidnappers were arrested after they were traced to hideouts in Ondo, Ekiti, Kogi and Niger States.
Yesterday, the police paraded the arrested culprits and Chief Falae was able to positively identify three of them, including one who was apparently kind to him. Yesterday, five of the kidnappers were arraigned, yesterday, before an Akure High Court and Chief Falae will be the star witness when the trial commences on November 10.
All five suspects, identified as Abubakar Auta, Bello Jannu, Umaru Ibrahim, Masahudu Muhammed and Idris Lawal, were charged with kidnapping, conspiracy and armed robbery. Three of the kidnappers who could not speak English and were helped by a translator, admitted that their share from the N5m ransom collected was N100,000 each.
Justice Rotimi Olamide, who presided over the case, ordered that they be remanded in prison custody until the case could be heard. Another leader of the gang, Abubakar Auta, was arrested in Niger State with N823,900 cash, said to be part of the ransom money paid to the kidnappers and confessed that they kidnapped the septuagenarian politician.
They were arraigned on a five-count charge of procuring or counselling another for the purpose of kidnapping and abducting, aiding and abetting, contrary to Section 2 of Anti-kidnapping and Anti-Abduction Law of Ondo State, 2010.
Exhibits recovered from the gang leader Abubakar Auta include cash, 12 SIM cards, a phone used for negotiating the ransom and a red Bajaj motorcycle. However, when formally charged in court, the accused pleaded not guilty.
