State Security Service (SSS) on Thursday paraded seven suspects in connection with the kidnap of a national of United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Khamis Majed Ishmael AI Ali.
The suspects are aged between 22 and 33.
Marilyn Ogar, the Deputy Director, Public Relations of the SSS, said the suspects kidnapped Khamis on Jan. 20 and released him on March 19.
“On 20th of January, 2012 one Mohammed Khamis Majed Ishmael AI Ali, a United Arab Emirate national, was lured to visit Nigeria for a phantom business transaction by a fake company, Finuche Investments, and was abducted by a kidnap syndicate.
“Khamis was released by his abductors on 19th March, 2012 and dropped off in Ibadan,” she said.
Ogar said that the suspects took the hostage to Aboriogun village in Ikoyi town, Isokan Local Government Area of Osun and held him for 60 days before releasing him.
She said that they confessed to participating in the kidnap of Khamis, adding that they would soon be charged to court.
Ogar said that four people identified to have masterminded the abduction of the foreigner were at large. She did not name them.
However, the suspects, who spoke through an interpreter, said that they did not participate in the abduction of Khamis but admitted that they were hired by one Teslim Raji to guard him.
According to them, Raji provided the money for Khamis upkeep while in custody.
They also said that they contributed N2,000 to transport the hostage to Ibadan and used motorcycles when money was not forthcoming from Raji.
They said that they did not know that the man they were “protecting” was kidnapped.
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