In a press release issued on Monday, December 9, 2025, the police said their investigation into Arianna Naomi Mackey’s claims has faced several challenges.

Preliminary checks by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) revealed that Mackey had already checked out of an Accra hotel and left Ghana on December 5 via Kotoka International Airport, the same day she posted the video.

“Police subsequently contacted the alleged victim to assist with the investigation. She indicated that she was out of the country and could not provide the names of the alleged officers or the number plate of the vehicle involved,” the release stated.

Authorities say their efforts have been further hampered as Mackey deleted the video, declined follow-up messages, and blocked investigators on WhatsApp. She also reportedly refused to provide the contact details of a Ghanaian friend who was with her, citing the friend’s unwillingness to be involved.

“The Ghana Police Service treats such allegations very seriously and remains committed to uncovering the facts in this case,” the release emphasised, signed by Chief Inspector Brigitte Babanawo, the CID Public Relations Officer.

Allegations of misconduct by individuals in police uniform, particularly at checkpoints, have been a recurring concern in Ghana. The police say their investigation is ongoing as they continue to pursue cooperation through official and diplomatic channels.

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The Northern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Wisdom Lavoe, confirmed the operation in an internal situation report, explaining that officers acted swiftly after the case was reported to the Tamale Regional Police Intelligence Directorate on 2 December 2025. According to the report, the kidnappers had demanded GH¢100,000 from the victim’s family.

DCOP Lavoe deployed a five-member intelligence team to Wapuli to monitor the suspects, rescue the victim and arrest those involved. The team successfully freed the victim on 5 December.

Police say the officers later engaged the suspects in a firefight at about 2:30 a.m. on 6 December after trailing them to a hideout. The armed group, believed to be four men, fled the scene and abandoned a motorbike with registration M-25-NR and a Samsung phone, which were retrieved for investigations.

The intelligence team tracked the fleeing suspects to Bokpaba, along the Bimbilla–Yendi stretch, later that morning. Three men — Haruna Seidu, 31; Amidu Bande, 30; and Osman Bande, 40 — were arrested and detained at the Yendi Police Station. They are expected to be transferred to the Regional Headquarters in Tamale on 7 December.

Police also recovered two additional motorbikes — one registered M-25-GB 1026 and an unregistered one — as well as GH¢70,000 believed to be part of the ransom the family paid before the victim’s release.

One suspect remains on the run and is believed to have sustained gunshot wounds during the earlier exchange. Police describe him as “armed and dangerous” and have intensified efforts to track him down.

The Northern Regional Police Command says further updates will be provided as investigations continue, and urged the public to volunteer information that may assist in the arrest of the remaining suspect.

The attackers killed three worshippers and abducted several others, including the pastor, during a live-streamed evening service on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

The footage captures the terrifying moment gunshots rang out, sending worshippers screaming and scrambling for cover as the assailants forced their way into the church auditorium.

Eyewitnesses reported that the gunmen struck without warning, opening fire immediately upon entering.

“The gunmen came in suddenly and started shooting. Three people were killed instantly. They gathered others at gunpoint and marched them into the bush. We still don’t know the exact number taken,” a source told reporters.

The attackers reportedly fled through bush paths linking Eruku to neighbouring communities, hampering immediate pursuit by security forces and local vigilantes.

The church attack came shortly after a wider assault on Eruku town, where armed militants reportedly fired sporadically, forcing residents and travellers to flee into surrounding bushes.

The coordinated nature of both assaults has heightened fears over worsening insecurity along the Kwara–Kogi corridor.

Authorities are yet to release an official statement on the number of abducted victims, while local leaders say the community remains in shock and mourning. Security operatives have launched search operations in the surrounding forests as families anxiously await news of their loved ones.

Watch video below:

Police report that on September 3, 2025, Owusu sent a text message to a complainant claiming he was under attack at his home.

When officers arrived, Owusu was nowhere to be found, though bloodstains were discovered on the bedroom floor. Forensic analysis later confirmed the blood was not human.

Investigations revealed that Owusu had discarded the SIM card used to send the distress message, only to replace it and make calls traced to Elubo in the Western Region on September 5.

Further intelligence led to his arrest at a hideout in Akatamanso, Ashanti Region, on September 24.

During interrogation, Owusu confessed to killing a duck and using its blood to stage the crime scene, in an attempt to cover up his failure to account for money belonging to his employer.

The police, in a statement on September 25, confirmed that Owusu will be arraigned after investigations are completed.

The Command commended members of the public who assisted in his arrest and warned that anyone attempting such acts would face the full rigours of the law.

Source: Adomonline

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Kelly Smith, her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn were arrested after Smith’s daughter, Joshlin, went missing from outside her home in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, in February last year.

Appollis and Van Rhyn were also found guilty on Friday of kidnapping and trafficking Joshlin. All three had previously pleaded not guilty to to these charges.

Joshlin’s disappearance sent shockwaves across South Africa and despite a highly publicised search for her, she is yet to be found.

Emmanuel Adedoyin Adebayor, a 28-year-old trader, and Esther Ogbonna, a beautician, have been unable to meet their GH₵500,000 bail conditions. They appeared in court handcuffed and were escorted by the police.

A third suspect, Dennis Poromo, remains at large.

Adebayor and Poromo have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically kidnapping and stealing. Esther faces an abetment charge. Both Adebayor and Esther have pleaded not guilty.

According to the prosecution, on December 6, 2024, the police received a complaint from FBI agents at the American Embassy in Accra regarding the abduction of a U.S. citizen, Diana Christine Nelson.

The 80-year-old victim had arrived in Ghana on November 22, 2024. Following investigations, police intelligence traced her to a hotel in Larteh Akwapim on December 8, 2024. Information gathered indicated that she was in the hotel with one of the accused persons.

On December 11, 2024, police arrested Adebayor while he was attempting to withdraw money from the victim’s account using her U.S. ATM debit card. He later led officers to a house in Tema Community 11, where the victim was being held hostage. The victim, who appeared traumatised, was subsequently taken to the hospital.

Investigations revealed that Adebayor had posed as Mark Hammond, a well-known U.S. actor, to lure the victim to Ghana.

Esther, the second accused, picked the victim up from Kotoka International Airport and initially housed her in an apartment in East Legon Hills before moving her to Tema Community 11.

Prosecution disclosed that Esther was responsible for taking care of the victim throughout her stay in Ghana until their arrest.

The victim had arrived in Ghana with four mobile phones, all of which, along with her bank cards, were confiscated.

“All the phones and her bank cards were seized from her, and she was warned not to disclose any information to anyone,” the prosecution stated.

Adebayor and his accomplice, Poromo, who remains at large, allegedly withdrew $15,821.70 from the victim’s bank account and demanded a ransom of $150,000 from her family.

The victim’s bank cards and mobile phones, including a “Bru Phone,” Samsung Galaxy A15, and iPhone 12, were recovered from Adebayor and Poromo. However, they had already sold some of the items at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra.

The police retrieved cash amounting to GH₵7,000 and GH₵4,000 from Adebayor, believed to be proceeds from the sale of the phones and part of the ATM withdrawals. However, the victim’s iPhone 12 was not recovered.

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Air-force Lance Corporal (LAC) Alfred Mensah, 33, and LAC Matthew Amoako, 28, both denied conspiring to rob and kidnap Mr. Andrews Asante. They were subjected to a full trial and found guilty.

Three of their accomplices, identified only as Frimpong, Francis, and Francis Acheampong (41, a driver), remain at large.

Detective Chief Inspector Eric Twum, speaking to the court presided over by Mr. Isaac Appeatu, narrated that Mr. Asante, the complainant, is a small-scale miner residing in Ametubuom, a suburb of Asiwa. Mensah and Amoako are Air Force officers based in Accra and Tamale, respectively, but both were on a course in Accra at the time.

Acheampong, the driver, worked for a car-rental company in Accra, while Frimpong and Francis, who were military personnel based in Kumasi, are still at large.

Prosecution stated that on November 25, 2023, Acheampong met the soldiers and, knowing they were going on a robbery expedition, led them to his company’s secretary. Acheampong then rented a Mitsubishi Pajero (registration number GS 3236-17) and was assigned to drive it for the mission.

At around 1400 hours, they departed from Accra, reaching Konongo, where they picked up Francis. The group, dressed in military uniform, proceeded to Ametubuom, where they arrived at Mr. Asante’s residence at approximately 0130 hours.

The gang shouted for Asante to come out, but he initially refused, fearing for his life. They attacked his friend Kwabena, whom his wife called for help, prompting Asante to eventually come out. The convicts pushed him back inside and subjected him to beatings while demanding GH₵400,000.00 for his release.

Asante did not have that amount, but out of fear for his life, he borrowed GH₵10,000.00 from his mother-in-law and handed it over to the gang. However, the robbers continued to beat him and demanded more money. The mother-in-law provided an additional GH₵20,000.00 wrapped in a black polythene bag.

The gang ransacked her room, finding GH₵40,000.00, and later searched Asante’s room, taking GH₵15,000.00. They also seized GH₵7,000.00 from Kwabena and the ignition key to his motorbike to prevent him from chasing them.

The gang forcibly pushed Asante into their vehicle, where Mensah took an additional GH₵4,500.00 from his pocket. In total, they made off with GH₵96,500.00.

Police were alerted and attempted to intercept the vehicle, but the robbers ignored the signals and sped off. The police shot at the vehicle, but the robbers continued until they reached a broken bridge at Anwiam. Unable to cross, they abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot with their hostage.

At around 0430 hours, Mensah and Amoako arrived at Anumso Town, looking for a getaway vehicle. They were arrested by local residents and handed over to the police. Frimpong and Francis, realizing their accomplices had been captured, abandoned the complainant and fled into the forest.

The two arrested soldiers later admitted to the crimes and named their accomplices. They also revealed that the stolen money was taken by the town’s residents who apprehended them. One body armor, the complainant’s walking aid, and Kwabena’s motorbike ignition key were later recovered from the forest hideout.

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WOI Elorm John Ahiakpor, along with Silas Amewonye, a 25-year-old farmer; Farouk Nuodio, a 32-year-old trader; Daniel Kwesi Obiri Yeboah, also known as Aljazeera, a 49-year-old trader; and Michael Nana Addo, a 25-year-old carpenter, face charges of conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnapping, as well as robbery and kidnapping.

All five pleaded not guilty before the court, presided over by Samuel Bright Acquah.

The accused’s lawyers, Andy Vortia and Carlos De-Souza presented their bail application.

Mr. Vortia, representing WOI Elorm John Ahiakpor, stated that it was not his practice to argue the facts prematurely.

He contended that, justice deserved a fair hearing before relying exclusively on police claims.

Vortia said the accusations against the defendants were bailable, and that there was no proof that they had a history of bond jumping.

Mr. De-Souza corroborated this by noting that Ahiakpor had served as a military officer for 24 years with no blemishes on his record.

He argued that remanding Ahiakpor would jeopardize his career.

The prosecution, represented by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kofi Anane, opposed the bail application, citing ongoing investigations.

ASP Anane urged the court to consider the seriousness of the charges, emphasizing that if the accused are found guilty, the consequences would be significant.

After hearing the arguments from both sides, the court decided to adjourn the case to October 29, 2024.

The complainant in the matter is Lodewijk Frederikus, a Dutch national from the Netherlands.

The prosecution said that on October 17, 2024, Frederikus, arrived in Ghana to meet his friend, Silas Amewonye, regarding a land purchase in Ningo Prampram.

Amewonye, along with Farouk Nuodio, met Frederikus at Kotoka International Airport and took him to Alexis Lodge at Afienya.

The following day, Amewonye and Nuodio brought Frederikus to Amewonye’s residence, where he was to stay.

However, on October 20, 2024, Frederikus grew alarmed by the suspicious behaviour of Amewonye and Nuodio and expressed his desire to return to his home country.

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35-year-old Paul Iera narrowly avoided jail time after he admitted before a judge that he had concocted an elaborate lie to hide his infidelity from his girlfriend, wasting tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars in the process.

On December 31st of last year, the Australian man from Wollongong called his girlfriend to tell her that he was meeting his “finance guy,” when in reality he was going to see his mistress.

At one point, in order to buy themselves some time, the couple messaged Iera’s girlfriend again, this time pretending to be a kidnapper who promised to deliver him safe and sound the next day.

“Thank you for sending Paul to me, now payback is a ***** bye bye. We will keep him with us until the morning wen (sic) he gives us his bike we call it square,” the ‘kidnapper’s” message read.

The one thing Paul and his mistress didn’t count on was his girlfriend’s panic after reading the message. Fearing for his life, the woman immediately notified the police to report his kidnapping, and a strike force was immediately established to locate and rescue the victim.

So while Paul Iera and his mistress were spending some quality time together, the Lake Illawarra Police District was spending 200 hours of police work, equivalent to more than $25,000 of taxpayer money on trying to find him.

On the morning of January 1st, during a high-risk vehicle stop, the police pulled over Iera’s van and found him safe and sound in the company of his mistress.

He tried to tell the officers that he had been indeed kidnapped by some Middle-Eastern fellows who eventually let him go, but his story had kinds of inconsistencies, and twelve days later he was arrested and charged with making a false accusation with the intent to subject another person to investigation.

Paul Iera faced up to seven years behind bars for his despicable deception, but after admitting to making up the story of his kidnapping to hide his infidelity from his girlfriend in a court of law, he dodged the bullet and was ordered to pay $AUD 16,218.11 to the New South Wales Government in compensation for the work done by police. Iera was also sentenced to 350 hours of community service.

Magistrate Michael Ong described the accused’s actions as “abhorrent”, adding that he had seriously considered giving him jail time.

The victim was allegedly shot at by the kidnappers when he attempted to flee.

He sustained serious gunshot injuries to his thighs, which also damaged his manhood.

An eyewitness who narrated the incident to Citi News said they heard gunshots in the night and later found the victim in the bush with injuries.

This is the fourth attempted kidnapping in the area.

It is believed that the kidnappers are also suspected to be fellow herdsmen.

In the first incident, relatives allegedly paid a total of GH¢140,000 to the kidnappers, but the victim was subsequently killed.

A relative of the victim spoke to Citi News.

“We were in our rooms last night and heard gunshots. Everyone was scared. After a while, it stopped and people came out and traced the direction the sound was coming from. We got to the herdsman’s residence and saw bloodstains on the ground.

“We actually didn’t see anybody until when we were about to go when he crawled out of the bush with gunshot wounds to his thighs. Both legs were injured, and his manhood was also injured. We quickly organized a car and took him to Zabzugu Hospital, where he is currently receiving treatment. We call on the security to look into it and bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Officials of the Immigration Service at the checkpoint near Larabanga escorted them to the hospital, and the officer in charge, Mr Kennedy Tengzagh, donated blood for the victim at the hospital where he is currently receiving treatment. The case has been officially reported to the police in the district.

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Five years ago, the father of the football hero was kidnapped together with his driver, Ishaya John, as they traveled from Jos, Plateau State, to Enugu.

In an interview with Dubai Eye 103.8 Sport, he recalled how he learned of his father’s kidnapping roughly four hours prior to Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup match against Argentina.

He described how a family member instructed him to call the kidnappers on a specific number, which he did and was then told to pay a ransom.

The ex-Chelsea midfielfielder also revealed that although he was saddened by the news, he had to put it aside and play the match.

Below is his narration;

Quote

“I was emotionally distraught and I had to make the decision about whether I was mentally ready to play. I was confused. I did not know what to do but, in the end, I knew that I could not let 180 million Nigerians down. I had to shut it out of my head and go and represent my country first. I could not even inform the coaches or NFF staff and only a very tight circle of my friends knew.

I was told that they would shoot my dad instantly if I reported to the authorities or told anybody. I also did not want to discuss it with the coach [Gernot Rohr] because I did not want my issue to become a distraction to him or the rest of the team on the day of such an important game. As much as I wanted to discuss it with the coach, I could not.

The abductors then started calling the families to demand a ransom of N10 million but the operatives acting on intelligence information swooped on them. A gun duel ensued which forced the hoodlums to abandon their victims inside the forest and they were promptly rescued.

They [the kidnappers] said listen, we know, it is Mikel he would pay. If he doesn’t, we are going to shoot his dad. They said they had nothing to lose. They would shoot my dad and dump him somewhere.

It was horrible. After the game, I got back on the phone, tried to negotiate with them and spoke with them. They were calling some ridiculous amount of money for a start, and in the end, I still had to pay some crazy amount of money to get my dad out.

Even now, I still go through it. Even when I got a flashback, I had to speak to the guys on the phone. There was a gunpoint at his head. They said they would shoot him, kill him. I have not told my kids about it, but a few months ago, they looked at my phone and saw the news about it. Obviously, I have not told them about it because they are young kids, 7 years, but one day when they grow up, I will be able to share the story with them.”

The three are – Kwabena Awere, 39, trader, Emmanuel Nyarko Boadi, 37, Mason and Nurudeen Adams, 33, farmer.

While Awere and Boadi pleaded not guilty to two counts of robbery and kidnapping, Adams denied the charge of abetment.

Four others, according to the prosecution, are on the run and are being sought for while the case has been adjourned to February 13.

Brief facts

The Prosecutor ASP Maxwell Oppong told the court that Complainant Roland Clottey is a Mason and lives at Ablekuma-Joma.

While the Accused persons Kwabena Awere, Emmanuel Nyarko Boadi, Nurudeen Adam and others now at large are Trader, Mason and farmers respectively.

The Prosecutor said they all live at Ablekuma-Joma and on July 27, 2021, the complainant sent his children to school at Joma CP with his unregistered 125 Royal motorbike.

ASP Oppong said, when the complainant was returning home, he decided to service his exhaust pipe at a nearby fitting shop.

He said when he was at the fitting shop, Awere, Boadi and four others now at large also went there with two vehicles and two motorbikes.

The Prosecutor told the court that Awere got down from his car and started beating the complainant and pointed him out to the rest that he tore a banner.

He said the rest also joined Awere and subjected the complainant to beatings and they later put him in Awere’s car and drove him together with his motorbike to Adams (third accused), their boss at his ranch at Joma.

ASP Oppong said Adams then ordered Awere (First Accused) and Boadi (Second Accused) and their accomplices to take his Itel and Tecno mobile phones from him

He said they subjected him to “severe beatings and made him carry a log on his shoulders for strenuous exercise and videoed him while going through the ordeal.”

Ranson demands

The Prosecutor said the accused persons and their accomplices tied the complainant up against an electric pole and demanded a ransom amount of GHc2,000.00 before he could gain his freedom.

He said the complainant’s brothers who are witnesses in this case heard of the incident and went there to rescue him, but were also attacked in the process by the accused persons and their accomplices who seized their motorbikes.

The prosecutor said later, “Moses together with Teiko went to pay GHc1,000.00 before the complainant was released and he reported the matter to the Police with a video footage where Boadi was captured.”

Nurudeen, the third accused was arrested and granted bail, but later jumped bail while Awere and Boadi were arrested at their hideout.

“The accused persons were charged with offences and put before court. Efforts are underway to trace and arrest the other accomplices. The case is still under investigation,” he told the court.

A 20-year-old student of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) at Bole in the Savannah Region has escaped a kidnap attempt.

The suspects, according to him, kidnapped him from his school premises during supper on Sunday.

Narrating his ordeal in an interview with Adom News‘ Rebecca Nantomah, the victim said the suspects hit him on his neck, making him unconscious.

He woke up and found himself at the Bole royal cemetery only for the two men to ask for a number they can call to demand ransom.

However, he called his schoolmates to tell them about the incident and upon suspicion he [the victim] might have called for help, one of the suspects went to check who it may be.

This he saw as an opportunity to run for his life, leading to a tussle between him and the second suspect who he managed to overpower and run back to his school.

The principal of Bole NVTI, Alhassan Salifu, speaking about the incident said students are now living in fear as they sometimes go out of the school’s premises in search of water.

He has, therefore, appealed to the government to heighten security and police patrol around the school.

It is reported that the kidnappers initially demanded N10 million as a ransom and later reduced it to N2 million which was paid before the police arrested them at the point of sharing. The suspect further said the husband abandoned her and her children for another woman.

Her words: “I arranged for my husband’s abduction because for a long time, he had abandoned me with his children. He never cared for his children. I engaged in menial jobs such as weeding in people’s farms to feed his children and pay their school fees. One of the children finished from secondary school and I approached my husband to plan how to send the son to learn trade since the father refused to send him to university but my husband shunned me. The major reason I arranged for his kidnapping is that my husband refused to have sex with me and does not take care of me and the children.”

On the amount she received as share of the N2 Million loot, the suspect said the kidnappers had not given her anything yet, saying that it was at the point of sharing that the suspected accomplice mentioned her name as the mastermind.

In an interview with newsmen, the husband of the suspect, Mr. Emmanuel Usenekong, narrated that he was kidnapped on July 21, 2022 around 8:30pm in his compound while coming back from where he was receiving treatment.

Mr Usenekong, who deals in building materials, said he never suspected the ex-wife could do a such thing to him alleging that it was because of her ‘uncertain’ behaviours that compelled him to marry another woman.

Intelligence reports suggest armed groups are planning attacks in several states, including the capital.

Schools, mainly in northern Nigeria, have become a target of kidnapping gangs in recent years – with hundreds of students held for ransom.

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting with security chiefs.

Most private schools were in the middle of exams when they had to close on Wednesday afternoon.

An official at the association of private school owners in Abuja told the BBC that the directive to shut down had come from local authorities in the capital.

Those schools with adequate security arrangements would be allowed to hold a one-day prize giving ceremony at the end of next week, he said.

But the news has caused concern for parents in a city populated by many civil servants, who often send their children to private schools.

While some schools in Abuja had already closed for the term, the majority were not scheduled to close until next week.

He added that those with adequate security arrangements have been allowed to hold a one-day prize giving day many had been preparing for.

Abuja residents have been feeling uneasy since armed men broke into a prison in the city and released hundreds of criminals a few weeks ago.

On Sunday, at least three soldiers from an elite unit of presidential guards were killed in the Bwari district of the city.

They had been responding to threats of an imminent attack on the Nigerian Law School located in the area. Nearby Veritas University has since shut down and sent students home.

The next day, the government shut down one of its secondary schools in the Kwali suburb of Abuja after a security incident close by.

This level of insecurity in the city is unprecedented since President Buhari took office in 2015.

Security agencies have recently beefed up their security presence at strategic locations within the city centre.

But this seems to be doing little to allay fears, even amongst politicians.

This week, an MP told colleagues who were away from the city not to return for their own safety, highlighting the failures of Mr Buhari’s government in dealing with widespread insecurity across the country.

On Wednesday, opposition senators gave the president a six-week ultimatum to find a solution to the security crisis or face impeachment, though they lack the numbers to do so.

Last year, there were attacks and mass abductions in at least 10 schools in Zamfara, Kaduna, Kebbi and Niger states.

Abdulmalik Tanko and his friend Hashimu Isiyaku were found guilty on Thursday.

A woman, said to be Mr Tanko’s ex-girlfriend, has been sentenced to two years in prison for complicity in the kidnapping.

The convicts had pleaded guilty and asked for leniency during the passing of the sentence.

Death penalties are rarely carried out in Nigeria and those convicted tend to stay in prison indefinitely.

The two men abducted the girl in December 2021 and her body was discovered in January this year.

The kidnapping of Hanifa Abubakar sparked outrage across Nigeria.

Tanko had demanded a ransom of $14,600 (£12,000) from the victim’s parents.

He was arrested by the police and he then led detectives to a location where they had buried the girl’s body.

In recent years, Nigeria has been grappling with a widespread kidnapping crisis.

But the kidnapping of students have usually been carried out by armed groups.

Nearly 1,500 students had been abducted by gangs since December 2020. Most of the victims have been released reportedly after ransom payments.

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The 37-year-old woman is also required to pay $3,100 (£2,580) in compensation to the children’s families.

The court heard that the woman kidnapped a 14-year-old child in October last year demanding a ransom of about $313.

She is said to have kidnapped another four-year-old child in December and demanded $390.

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Judge Martinho Mucheguere said the application of the maximum penalty was meant to discourage the wave of kidnapping in Beira in recent days.

“We are used to kidnappings involving large sums of money for ransom purposes. But this case has a particular nuance, in the sense that we are already dealing with kidnappings that take place even at the neighbourhood level, involving small amounts via M-Pesa [mobile money],” the judge noted.

He added: “The only weapon we have to discourage this type of situation is to apply what the law provides – these maximum penalties…”

The 27-year-old woman faked her abduction to “blackmail” her parents into sending money after she ran out of cash, police said.

The woman had reached India on 3 May, according to local media reports.

She phoned her mother on 7 July and said she was being assaulted by a man, NDTV reported.

Police in Delhi began investigating her whereabouts after the US Embassy forwarded a complaint from her family to them.

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They traced the IP addresses from which the woman had sent an email to American Citizen services and made a video call to her mother, the Indian Express newspaper reported.

Based on this, they traced and arrested a 31-year-old man from Nigeria, who said during interrogation that the woman was staying in an apartment in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi.

“After her rescue, it was revealed that she had staged the incident to blackmail her parents,” New Delhi’s deputy commissioner of police, Amrutha Guguloth, told the Indian Express.

Police said the woman, who is from Washington DC, had met the man through Facebook and had been staying with him since she arrived in India.

They also found that the woman’s visa and man’s passport had expired.

The police said they would take action against the two for staying in India without valid documents.

The news of the alleged abductions came from Twitter user @Ameerah_sufyan, who had said she was among the hostages.

In the first tweet appealing for help, she said there were 17 abductees, including three pregnant women and two children, being driven away by kidnappers in police uniforms in the capital, Abuja.

That prompted an outcry and public pressure on the authorities to act to rescue them.

But in a tweet on Friday, Abuja’s police spokesman said the story, which went viral, was not true.

He said the woman behind the tweets was now “safe in police custody” receiving medical treatment.

No details were given of how and where she was located or what she was being treated for in hospital.

The development is generating a lot of reactions.

Some social media users are demanding more information from the police.

Others are decrying the potential negative impact of fake news on the security situation in Nigeria – especially as it continues to grapple with killings and kidnappings for ransom by armed gangs.

The police said more investigations were taking place into the case and their findings would be made public. Later they added the woman was being questioned.

Lesego Tau did not panic at first when a stranger opened the back door of her grey Mercedes C-Class and climbed in.

She had parked outside a shopping mall in Johannesburg and was focused on texting a friend before going in to grab a few items for a get-together that evening.

“In my rear view mirror, I was looking and still thinking: ‘This person is going to be so embarrassed when they realise they are in the wrong car’,” she told the BBC, recounting the events of last June.

But this was not an innocent mistake

“Our gazes locked and I realised what was happening.”

This was a kidnapping.

Six months earlier, businessman Yasin Bhiku was grabbed in the driveway of his home, near Johannesburg, just after returning from the mosque.

CCTV footage that was widely seen on social media shows Mr Bhiku dressed in a blue T-shirt and black trousers calmly chatting to a friend.

Two men can be seen getting out of the car parked opposite. At first they stroll towards him, but then rush at him after Mr Bhiku realises what is going on and tries to flee.

He was overpowered and forced into the vehicle at gunpoint. The businessman was later found unharmed and rescued by the police.

Ms Tau, who runs her own cleaning company in Pretoria, also tried to flee once she had figured out that she was about to be abducted.

She said she tried opening the door of her car, but another man, dressed as a parking attendant in a hi-vis jacket, blocked the door.

The man in the back seat showed that he had a gun and ordered Ms Tau to drive out of the shopping complex.

Along the way, she was told to stop and someone else jumped into her car.

Four-hour ordeal

Once in the countryside, about 15km (nine miles) into the terrifying journey, the kidnappers ordered Ms Tau to stop.

A red car then arrived at the scene and someone got out, took her bank cards and forced her to reveal her security codes.

“The other people from the car… started going through all my different cards. They were withdrawing [money].”

At the same time, her captors were repeatedly hitting her on the head with the gun, ordering her to increase her withdrawal limit.

The ordeal went on for over four hours.

At one point she heard someone on the other end of a phone call say: “Just finish her off. We are done.”

“I made peace that they were going to kill me, but I thought, I need to fight. I have to fight. If they are going to kill me, I might as well fight,” Ms Tau said.

She fought her way out of the car, but the kidnappers grabbed her and started hitting and scratching her. She got away and ran across the road into the oncoming traffic.

This story and that of Mr Bhiku are not isolated.

In February, Police Minister Bheki Cele revealed that 2,605 kidnapping cases had been reported to the authorities in the last three months of 2021.

In the decade from 2010, kidnapping more than doubled in South Africa and there are now 10 kidnappings per 100,000 people, according to the South African think-tank the Institute for Security Studies. This is one of the highest rates in the world.

In 2018, Mr Cele promised to make dealing with kidnapping a priority.

Victims have been kept against their will either for a ransom, to have their bank accounts cleaned out or be sexually assaulted.

Some did not make it out alive, though it is not clear how frequent this outcome is.

In an attempt to deal with these kinds of crimes, the police launched a kidnapping task team, combining intelligence gathering with tactical response.

Crime syndicates target South Africa

One thing that has been established is that kidnappers tend to work in teams and the abductions follow a pattern with each gang member having a set role, police spokesperson Col Athlenda Mathe told the BBC.

“The spotters are those that would follow the target. The pickers are those who move in to kidnap the victim.”

The kidnappers often drive high-performance vehicles and are usually heavily armed.

“Then we have the guards that would take over and keep the victim… until a ransom is paid.”

But in the background, there is a mastermind who does thorough research and pulls the strings.

“The kingpin would be someone who lives a high-end life and wouldn’t do the dirty job,” Col Mathe says.

These criminal syndicates have tentacles in countries like neighbouring Mozambique and as far afield as Pakistan.

They tend to mostly target wealthy business people with the means to pay a ransom, but some victims have been from low-income areas and children are not spared.

Private hostage negotiator Gérard Labuschagne says there has been an increase in very high-value cases. Ransoms can be set at up to $3m (£2.3m)

“Organised groups operating in Mozambique and other parts of Africa have now decided, for whatever reason, that South Africa is ripe for this type of crime and they’ve been committing it very successfully,” Mr Labuschagne says.

Some social commentators believe general lawlessness has made South Africa attractive to organised criminals from around the world.

In the face of public anger, the police acknowledge that more work needs to be done but Col Mathe says they have made progress.

“Since the identification of these syndicates, we have arrested 115 suspects, consisting of Pakistanis, Mozambicans as well as South Africans.”

One of the suspects is 43-year-old Faizel Charloos, who was taken into custody in March.

He is believed to be the mastermind behind a spate of recent kidnappings.

During police raids in several Johannesburg properties linked to him, drugs, cash and a high-powered vehicle were recovered.

Mr Charloos recently appeared in court, along with several others, on kidnapping charges. He has made no comment.

It emerged that he has dual citizenship in South Africa and Mozambique.

‘Police don’t rescue victims’

In a separate case in April, police successfully rescued a four-year-old girl who was snatched at a school in Johannesburg, by a woman pretending to be her childminder.

Her kidnappers had earlier demanded thousands of dollars for her safe return.

But four people were arrested when they arrived outside a shopping centre to collect the ransom.

Despite such breakthroughs, Mr Labuschagne is not convinced the police are winning.

“We have had one or two arrests. But in the overwhelming majority of these cases, the police don’t rescue the kidnapped victims from where they’ve been kept. They are released after a payment.”

Ms Tau was lucky that she managed to get away, but her kidnappers took $1,400 (£1,100).

The ordeal has damaged her psychologically and left her family distressed.

“My father is not a man who cries, but he got teary. He kept on feeling like he could have protected me.

“There’s still a part of me that actually died on that day.”

Kuraba, believed to be in his fifties, was picked up on his way to his kraal at Zolbasia village in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region.

According to the Damongo Municipal District police command, at about 8:10am Monday, they received a distress call informing them of the development.

The Damongo Police commander said he mobilized his team, together with the complainant, and quickly rushed to the scene and found Kuraba Umaru in a pool of blood in a prone position by the road side, dead.

The complainant also led the police to a distance of about 30 meters from the scene of the crime where a black Haojue motorbike with registration number M-22-GD 5059 which is suspected to belong to the perpetrators was retrieved.

Also at the scene were two empty AAA cartridges.

The body was sent to the West Gonja hospital for autopsy and has since been released to the family for burial according to Islamic rites.

The suspect, Solomon Awunibiliga, is said to have abducted the girl from Walewale and absconded.

The suspect, Solomon Awunibiliga, is reported to have kidnapped the young child to Mirigu, a farming community in the Kasena-Nakana Municipality in the Upper East Region where he was apprehended after police received intelligence.

The victim is said to have gone missing two weeks ago after she went to school and did not return home.

Her disappearance caused fear and panic at Walewale, as relatives and friends explore every nook and cranny of the municipality but efforts proved futile.

Confirming the news to Graphic Online, the North East Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Robert Annabik Anmain, said the suspect was picked up at his hideout at Mirigu.

He has since been detained in custody at Walewale to assist with investigations.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the mother of the suspect was said to have asked him to get her a grandchild before she died, otherwise he should never step foot at her funeral ground.

To satisfy the demands of his mother, the suspect reportedly visited Walewale and lured the child who had closed from school and was returning home.

“Our investigations so far revealed that he (the suspect) met the child returning from school and he lured her that he was taking her to her mother but boarded a vehicle and took her to his village called Mirigu in the Kasena-Nankana Municipality in the Upper East Region,” he said.

According to him, the police are still investigating the matter and that the suspect had been charged with child stealing and would be processed for court.

ASP Anmain indicated that the child had since reunited with her family after a medical check-up at the Walewale Municipal Hospital.

He further expressed concern over the increasing spate of kidnapping cases in the region.

He advised parents to be wary of unknown individuals parading in their communities.

There have been growing incidents of kidnap-for-ransom in the region which have become a major security threat in the area.

Last year, about 10 cases of kidnapping were recorded in the region, with most of the cases happening at Mamprugu/Moaduri.

Spokesperson of the command, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Thursday, January 20, said that Tanko, the proprietor of a private school, poisoned the child to death on December 18, after she recognised him.

He then conspired with one Hashim Isyaku, and chopped her up, buried her body in a shallow grave located at the private school premises.

The suspects led a combined team of operatives of Medical Team and Team of Operation Puff Adder to where they buried the body.

The body was exhumed and taken to a hospital, examined and confirmed dead by a medical doctor.

The uncle of the deceased told Daily Nigeria that, “Tanko’s wife rejection of keeping the child prompted him to take Hanifa to Tundunwada where he operates a private school. It was at the location that he laced her tea with the N100 rate poison before cutting her body into pieces and then buried her in a shallow grave in the school.”

It was gathered that the abductors were arrested while attempting to collect the second tranche of the ransom.

This was disclosed by Police prosecutors during proceedings at the Asokwa District Court on Friday.

The forensic examination, which constitutes the latest evidence on the case was conducted in Accra.

Giving details, the Police prosecutors informed the Court that the note, which read, “Hello Sir, you know our number. Call and pay the ransom,” was written by Dr Aggrey, a lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

They asserted that the new evidence confirms Dr Aggrey’s culpability in the disappearance of his wife.

This is the second time Police investigators have linked Dr Aggrey to the disappearance of his wife.

When the prosecutors informed the court about the new development, the defense counsel objected to it.

In October, investigations by the Police revealed that the accused sent messages from Rhodaline’s phone to relatives and friends from a spot near the Okodie Road on the KNUST campus, on the day she was allegedly kidnapped.

The prosecution, led by Chief Inspector Benjamin Moore Ankrah, had earlier prayed the court to adjourn proceedings to allow the Attorney-General (A-G) make an appearance.

He explained that the nature of the case requires thorough investigations.

But defense counsel, Frederick Kankam, was unhappy over the number of times the case has had to be adjourned.

He blamed the prosecution for the delays and prayed the Court to make a definite pronouncement for hearing to commence or Case Management Conference to be held.

The Court, presided by Korkor Achaw Owusu, adjourned the hearing to January 14, 2022, to enable the A-G’s office make an appearance.

The accused, Dr Aggrey, is currently on a provisional charge of kidnapping his wife, Rhodaline Amoah-Darko, a staff of the Lands Commission Office in Kumasi.

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The 38-year-old Dr Aggrey has been in custody after his arrest on October 6, 2021, following the disappearance of his wife on August 30, 2021.

The couple have two children.

It was gathered that the suspects, Efosa Osawaru, David Ayobami and another suspect at large, stormed a house in Ugbowo area of Benin City on Saturday, November 6 and abducted a businessman.

The businessman, whose name is not mentioned for security reasons, was abducted while driving out of his compound.

The kidnappers shot sporadically, forcing the victim to stop before he was dragged into the booth of his Toyota Corrola car and drove off.

The kidnapped victim opened the booth and jumped out of the moving vehicle before raising the alarm which attracted the attention of passersby.

The mob apprehended two of the suspects, beat them to stupor before handing them over to the police.

One of the suspects, Efosa Osawaru, who spoke with Standard Gazette, said that his gang had been monitoring the victim.

“I was called by my friend to come to Uselu in Benin city to join him to kidnap a man so that we can make money. He brought a gun, and we actually went to kidnap the man in his house. We have monitored the man and discovered that it would be easy to kidnap him in the morning. We carried the man and put him in the booth of his own car while my friend collected the car key and drove off with him.”

The second suspect, David Ayobami, said, “we have other members of our gang that were already waiting for us at Oluku, and we were to hand the victim over to them for ransom talk with the family members. We then ran into traffic during the movement. That was how the man forced the car booth open and shouted for help. The people in the area almost killed us. I regret this kidnapping.”

Spokesperson of the State Police Command, SP Bello Kontongs, who confirmed the incident, said the two suspects were beaten to stupor before the arrival of the police.

“We are making efforts to ensure the arrest of one of the accomplices now at large,” he added.

The culprits, Stephen Kumi, 33-year-old supposed boyfriend of Stephanie Kumiwaa, the lady who was said to have been kidnapped and Paa Kwesi Sampson of Connect FM.

The boyfriend is in police cells whilst the journalist has been released on bail.

According to a statement issued by the Police and signed by Deputy Superintendent of Police, Olivia Ewerabena Adiku, Head of Public Affairs at the Western Regional Police Command, on October 17, 2021, the media carried a publication written by Paa Kwesi Sampson of Connect FM in Takoradi.

Immediately, the Takoradi Divisional Police Command initiated investigation into the case involving one Stephanie Kumiwaa, a 26-year-old at Mpohor.

The police liaised with the Mpohor District Police Command and checks revealed that no such case was reported and police without wasting time arrested the two suspects who reported the story.

During police interrogation, Stephen told police that he met Stephanie on Facebook and they started dating.

He said on October 17, 2021, Stephanie called to inform him that she was visiting him but did not show up.

Two days after, on October 19, 2021, he received a phone call from a friend of Stephanie that someone called Stephanie’s phone number that she has been kidnapped and the suspected kidnappers demanded ransom of GHC2,000.

However, police escorted Stephen Kumi to Mpohor and all efforts to locate the residence and family members of Stephanie and Sandra for confirmation of the alleged incident proved futile.

Stephen Kumi was immediately arrested and detained while Paa Kwesi was granted police enquiry bail.

The police have, therefore, cautioned the media in the area to be circumspect with their reportage and always make sure they crosscheck information from the Western Regional Police Command before publication.

Below is the full statement:

The other suspects are identified as Jane Osas, 35, and 45-year-old John Obasu.

The command’s spokesperson, Kontongs Bello, in a statement said, “The abduction was planned and executed by their housemaid.

Precious Mmaduike used her familiarity with the children as house help and abducted them from Lagos to Benin City, Edo State.

The father of the children said they were given N500 by his wife to buy biscuits outside the compound in the company of the nanny, but failed to return.

He said the phone of the nanny was later switched off and efforts to find the children proved abortive.

The father reported the situation to the Aguda police station in Lagos, where it was discovered that the last location of the nanny before she switched off her mobile phone was Benin city, Edo state.

With the aid of the information gathered from the origin of the abduction and field assets, the abducted children were rescued by the operatives of the Edo State Police Command, in a very remote area at Upper Ekewan road, Benin City, with the housemaid and a woman she came to visit with the children.

I was discovered that the suspect met the woman on the internet and deceived her that the two children were hers. The motive is yet to be established.

The internet friend is said to have bought gift items and other properties for the children. She is also assisting investigations at the police station.

According to police, the kidnapping attempt took place around 8:00 PM when the lad and her family were walking along a pathway.

In the video, the five-year-old could be seen hopping in front while his family follows closely, while chatting.

At that same time, the kidnappers arrived in a burgundy saloon car, and one of them, a tall male in white t-shirt, alighted to facilitate the crime.

He is seen snatching the boy, and dumped him in the backseat of the car, while his accomplice sat in the front passenger seat.

The kidnapping attempt was not a success due to the bravery of the boy’s 45-year-old mother, Dolores Diaz, and siblings.

Dolores distracted the suspects, while the siblings struggled to pull the child out of the car.

Residents quickly rushed to the scene, but the suspects fled in their car before they could be apprehended.

The police have updated that the 24-year-old male has been arrested in connection with the attempted kidnapping.

The strategy is part of ongoing efforts by the government to put in place a framework, in collaboration with other stakeholders across the world.

This is to address the surge in attacks by Pirate Action Groups (PAGs) and increasing incidences of Kidnapping For Ransom (KFR) in the Gulf of Guinea, a key maritime highway for international commerce. 

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia said this while addressing participants at the ongoing International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEC ‘21) in Accra on Wednesday, 07 July 2021.

He said the government is determined to modernise and re-equip the Ghana Navy and other sectors of the Ghana Armed Forces as well as key stakeholders to scale up their level of readiness to face the growing challenge.

“For a start, the government is acquiring Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), Fast Patrol Boats and Crafts. In addition, the government is making funds available for the timely completion of the Forward Operating Base at Ezinlibo and there are plans to establish similar bases on our coastal frontiers.

 “The government will also see to training and welfare of the Naval Personnel to put in their best and to remain professional in the discharge of their duties,” he said.

He added: “Other stakeholders are not being left out of the task as the Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Fisheries Sector, the various institutions in the oil and gas sector and the entire maritime industry, are being supported and encouraged for their own transformation. 

“That is not all, government is set to endorse a comprehensive National Integrated Maritime Strategy that will enhance interagency cooperation and thereby boost the collaboration among land, sea and air forces and key stakeholders in the country. This is required because securing the maritime domain for a developed blue economy entails coordinated actions among all key stakeholders in the country,” he emphasised. 

He cited statistics, including a 34% increase in actual and attempted pirate attacks in 2020 in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as a rise in the number of cases of KFR and hostage-taking.

Dr Bawumia said in 2020, 130 out of 135 persons kidnapped globally were reportedly abducted in the Gulf of Guinea alone and reminded participants that criminals are not bothered by international boundaries. 

“It is important to remind ourselves that the threats to maritime security and safety transcend borders. They affect international trade. A threat to one coastal nation is a threat to others. The sea is the super highway for global trade and Africa’s quest for a Continental Free Trade Area cannot be successful without a secured maritime domain. 

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“A more serious concern is the fact that the criminals at sea are evading counter-piracy measures and have even become emboldened thereby scaling up the insecurity and threat profile in the Gulf of Guinea.  Reports indicate Pirate Action Groups have increased their operational range while the spread of attacks has also changed from the primary enclave in the Niger-Delta extending both westwards and south-eastwards to the whole of the Gulf of Guinea region.

“The Ghana government, therefore, deems it important to ensure effective cooperation and positive collaboration among regional navies through coordinated maritime law enforcement activities, especially the integration of the Naval and Air Forces’ efforts in suppressing insecurities in the maritime sector, building trust among partners through information-sharing and application of best management practices.”

The victim told Nhyira FM during the popular Obra Show that he was hawking camphor at Kumasi Angloga Junction that fateful day.

While busily scrolling past cars, he was signaled by one of his customers driving a Corolla, but rather than do his usual purchase, he asked the boy to escort him home, which he said was nearby.

The boy said he fell into deep sleep abruptly due to the awkward silence they were driving in, and woke up hours later.

Then sensing danger, he said he asked if they were close to the man’s house in Kumasi, only to be informed they were miles away in Accra.

The boy, now uncomfortable, said he began asking questions which got on the nerves of the driver, and after getting to an interchange, which he later got to know was Kwame Nkrumah Circle, the driver asked him to step out and wait for him at a point, while he attends to a quick business.

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After waiting for another four hours for the said man who never showed up, he was forced to sleep at a taxi station where he was later rescued.

Some good Samaritans drove him to the police station after he narrated his ordeal, and he was officially declared a missing person after one week.

However, with the help of a female police officer, his parents were located and he was reunited with his family.

A statement released by DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, spokesperson of the state police command said the self-acclaimed cleric was arrested following a report lodged at Sango divisional headquarters by the victim.

On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he had the intention of afflicting the victim with a sickness, which will enable him to extort her parents of huge amount of money having successfully done it to two different persons in the past.

This corroborated the victim’s statement that while she was coming from her work place at about 5:30 pm, she was accosted by the suspect who lured her into an uncompleted building after touching her with an object.

She stated further that on getting to the building, the suspect stripped her naked and used a White handkerchief to rub her private part, as well as all over her body.

It was a good Samaritan, who, unknown to the suspect, was watching the whole incident that came to her rescue as she had become unconscious.

Upon the report, the DPO Sango division, CSP Godwin Idehai, detailed his detectives to go after the suspect. He was subsequently traced and apprehended.

Search warrant was executed in his house, and a lot of dangerous criminal charms were recovered from there, he said.

The police spokesperson added that the state commissioner of police, CP Edward Awolowo Ajogun, has ordered the transfer of the case to state criminal investigation and intelligence department for further investigation and possible prosecution.

In a video that has since gone viral, the pastor, two choir members, and a pianist are seen praising God as their activities streamed on Facebook.

As the piano music played, a man wielding a rifle enters and orders them around as the choristers dropped their mics and cowered by the side of the altar.

Observers initially thought it was an April Fool’s joke, but as more armed men entered the room, the initial doubts gave way to panic and obvious fear.

The development has sent shockwaves across Haita, a country plagued by soaring violence and kidnapping-for-ransom syndicates, operating across the country, paralyzing its economy.

In the latest development, Miami Herald reports that the victims were released shortly after, and the founder, Gregory M. Figaro broke the news to them.

“If this can happen, then anything is possible in the country because there is no respect for any institution, whether it’s a church or school,” Figaro said, according to the Miami Herald.

Watch video below:

An assessment he made led him to the conclusion that people in the Middle East, who are into buying and selling of human parts and such people, have noticed that Ghana’s borders are very weak and have landed in the country for their business.

According to him, the perpetrators target children between the ages of 10 and 15 years.

His comment comes on the back of three missing children who have gone missing from different regions.

A 12-year-old Theresa Sabato has been reported missing for almost a month now at Ajumako Baa in the Central Region.

A nine-year-old Ernest Badu, also known as ‘Kofi the Boy’ from Sefwi Donkorkrom in Bibiani Anhwiaso Bekwai Municipality has also gone missing for almost a week now.

A four-year-old, Muhammad Mansir, was also abducted for four days but he was found after media reports.

Mr Boateng advised parents to be extra careful about their children and pleaded with security agencies to beef up their intelligence.

The six suspects, wielding guns, stormed a fenced land that housed Imoro and his herds.

Per police reports, the suspects claimed Imoro and his boss had stolen a cow belonging to another cattle owner, Nii Anum Aden, hence their revenge.

The six suspects are said to have beaten Imoro mercilessly before tying him in one of their cars and driving away.

Prampram Divisional Crime Officer, Chief Supt. Cecilia Arko, said they have been able to arrest these suspects through identification parade with the assistance of a witness.

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“One of the well-built men kicked Imoro to the ground and kicked his stomach and chest area. Another kicked him in the face, leaving Imoro bleeding in his ear, nose and mouth. They took turns and repeated the action about three times,” the witness is said to have narrated.

However, the victim has still not been traced, but police are hopeful he will be alive since the perpetrators are behind bars.

Confessing to the crime, Mr Muyideen said: “The herdsman talked me into kidnapping them. He is my friend. We have lived together since childhood. When we got to the field where Thompson and Samson were, I told them to follow me and they did because I am the younger brother of their daddy.

“We didn’t know that they will die. The phones we used in contacting the parents were tracked by the police and we were arrested.”
 
Also confessing to the crime, suspect Memudu said: “I am a Fulani herdsman. I abducted two children with the help of Muyideen who is their family member. We went to the football field where the children were playing and abducted the two of them.

“We took them on a commercial bike to a forest where my cattle feed around Coker area, Osogbo. I know the terrain very well. We were in the forest for four days, giving the children bread and soft drink.

“We contacted the parents and demanded N25 million ransom. I wanted to use the ransom to start a business. We gave them six days to provide the ransom but, unfortunately, the two children died on the fourth day after the rope we used to tie them to a tree strangulated them.”

After the two siblings died, the abductors stated they did not contact the parents again, but rather left the corpses there and they were discovered four days after.

Suspect Mohammed was arrested along with three other members of her syndicate at Ungogo LGA, Kano state while negotiating with the family of one of their captives.

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“I was introduced into kidnapping by my uncle called Hamza 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 N5m to secure his freedom and out of that amount I was given N800,000 with which I rented that house at Jaba quarters,” she confessed.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Alexander Yeboah, in-charge of the Command, on Tuesday said the two carefully planned the purported incident to outwit being punished for staying out to play.

The alleged victim, a 14-year-old Junior High School pupil and his accomplice, a 12-year-old, hatched the plan to court sympathy and avoid punishment at home after the victim left home on a play adventure on Friday at about 09:30 hours and only returned after 16:30 hours.

He said the victim confessed to the Police investigation team he connived with his friend to stage the story.

Mr Yeboah said since the victims in the matter are juveniles, the Police would review a corresponding punishment for such incidents while holding them.

Meanwhile, residents of the Municipality are calling for stringent punishment for the duo to serve as a deterrent to others.

Prosper Pi-Bansah, Ho Municipal Chief Executive, described the development as “wicked wizardry.”

The lad, Gold Kolawole, was nowhere to be found after church service in the premise of Sotitobire Praising Chapel Children’s Department and has not been found till date.

The prophet and his accomplices were arrested based on a tip-off to the State Security Service that he held the child hostage since November.

The Prophet and the other defendants had been on trial for months after he pleaded not guilty.

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But, an Ondo High Court found him guilty of the two-count charge of kidnapping and aiding and abetting to kidnap based on the circumstantial evidence presented by the prosecution.

Justice Olusegun Odusola in his judgement convicted the defendants and also accused the police of complicity in the entire episode.
.

This is according to Citi News sources within the Ghana Police Service.

The source indicated that the report is ready to be presented to the appropriate individuals and interested parties.

This follows the expiration of a four-week ultimatum given by the Police to complete the DNA test.

In an earlier interview with Citi News, the spokesperson of the aggrieved families, Michael Grant Hayford, called on the Police Service to expedite action in ensuring that the results are made available to them.

He also blamed the Police for excommunicating the families on the state of the test.

The DNA test became crucial after the human parts were found close to the residence of one of the suspected kidnappers Samuel Wills.

The families of the four kidnapped girls provided DNA samples for the test after a series of objections and protest.

The DNA test became crucial after human parts believed to be the victims were found near the residence of one of the suspected kidnappers Samuel Will.

Two of the suspected kidnappers are currently in police custody in Ghana while the fourth suspect who was arrested in Nigeria is still awaiting extradition.

Residents threaten to protest if DNA tests match remains

Even before the Police Service completed its forensic test into discovered human remains, some residents of Takoradi had threatened to hit the streets of Takoradi with a mammoth demonstration if the results of the DNA test results match remains discovered weeks ago.

A Takoradi based social media group, Imagine Takoradi and the Sekondi Takoradi Masqueraders Association, with support from the families of the kidnapped girls on the anniversary of the kidnapping of the second girl, Priscilla Blessing Bentum, petitioned the IGP in August 2019 for a fair exercise through the Takoradi Central Police Command, after a peaceful demonstration.

Source: Citifm

The suspect, yet to be named, was arrested after an eyewitness raised an alarm while he was in the process of luring the 4-year-old boy into a waiting vehicle with three other suspects in it, Starrfm.com.gh’s Winegah Perry Edwin reported Sunday morning.

The suspect reportedly ran into a nearby house and changed his clothing but his cover was blown after residents of the house gave him up. The others in the car sped off.

The arresting mob then took him to the Kotobabi police station. He has currently been rushed to the Police Hospital for treatment following the attack on him by the mob.

The boy is safe with the police.

On Friday, two other Nigerians were shot dead in the Upper West region for robbery.

The development comes on the back of last week’s arrest of the alleged kidnappers of the two Canadians which included three Nigerians.

Currently, two other Nigerians are being held over the kidnapping of the three Takoradi girls in the Western region of Ghana

Source: Starrfm.com.gh

A pro-government newspaper, Daily Guide, reports on Friday, June 14 that besides the grenade, the kidnappers had an assortment of firearms “which were kept for defensive and offensive purposes.”

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Already, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said during a press briefing on the rescue of Lauren Patricia Catherine Tilley, 19, and Bailey Jordan Chitly, 20, that the members of the rescue mission faced significant firepower from the kidnappers.

”Police officers from the Ashanti Regional Police CID in Kumasi were shocked to find the grenade in the house where the two ladies were kept,” the Daily Guide newspaper recounts.

Background

The Canadian young ladies were reportedly forced into a vehicle at about 8:20 pm on June 4, 2019.

They had just stepped out of their apartment at Silver Spring in Kumasi.

One person, an Uber driver, was arrested over the kidnapping.

Subsequently, a team of experts from Canada and the United Kingdom arrived in Ghana to assist National Security operatives with investigations.

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Meanwhile, details have emerged pointing to Nigerian masterminds behind the kidnapping of two Canadian girls who were volunteering in Ghana.

The identities of the four Nigerians are yet to be confirmed.

Police are also on a manhunt for three Nigerians linked to the kidnapping of the Consular-General and Head of Mission of Estonia to Ghana, Nabil Makram Basbous, in April 2019 in Accra who was later rescued by police.

Source: Myjoyonline.com