The Nigerian Police Force, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Command says it has arrested the main suspect behind the first-of-its-kind kidnap incident involving an exchange of $15,000 worth of bitcoins as ransom payment.

However, PRNigeria investigation revealed that this is coming as security sources are beginning to point accusing fingers on the victim’s family members, domestic staff and other relatives who are believed to be deeply involved in these kidnapping incidences.

Recall that a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Umar Ardo, was in September 2019 forced to pay $15,000 in bitcoins to get his daughter, Ms Aisha Umar, freed by kidnappers.

During his weekly security updates at the weekend, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, revealed that the suspect, one Sa’adu Abubakari, who is currently in the Police custody, has made a useful confession in connection with the new trend in kidnapping cases.

Mr Ciroma disclosed that the Anti-Kidnapping Squad had nabbed 13 members of kidnapping syndicate and other dangerous criminals.

“Sequel to the ongoing investigation into a reported kidnap incident at Asokoro on 14th September 2019, Police detectives from the Command, Anti-Kidnapping Squad, have arrested one Saadu Abubakari ‘m’ 23 years in connection with the incident.

“The suspect was arrested around Apo after the phone number used for the criminal act was traced to him.

“The Command is making concerted effort to arrest other persons involved in the criminal act,” Mr Ciroma disclosed.

According to Mr Ciroma, after the payment of the ransom in bitcoins, and the suspect release, the police engaged its intelligent operatives who swung into action.

Subsequently, Mr Ciroma said, the suspect was trailed and finally tracked down in Apo where he was arrested.

Police sources informed PRNigeria that Mr Abubakari, who is a commercial motorcycle rider (Okada), admitted to owning the SIM card which was registered in February 2018.

He, however, sold it to another suspect (now at large) who bought it from him for N1000.

Mr Abubakari who hails from Kano said he was tricked by a certain female suspect who acted to have lost her way, contacts and desperate for a new SIM card to make calls.

“The female suspect, who spoke in Hausa language, negotiated to buy his SIM card for N1000 with which the kidnap for ransom deal was made,” Mr Abubakari was said to have confessed.

Further findings also revealed that Mr Abubakari is barely literate and could only speak in Hausa.

“He claimed to have never stolen before. He said doesn’t know anything about bitcoin or understand how it works. He doesn’t even have a bank account or ATM card,” a security source told PRNigeria.

Police source said that while the crack team of intelligence and investigative officers were on the verge of unravelling the case, some challenges set in.

According to the source, this kidnap incidence is unique in the sense that it “sets a precedence in the kidnapping cases because of the bitcoin”.

An intelligent officer noted that the sophistication of the technology involved has opened a new chapter challenging their investigative skills.

According to him, while the Police were monitoring the situation, so far more than $9000 had been withdrawn from the bitcoin.

The officer, however, assured that the operatives were on the verge of overcoming the obstacles posed by tracking the bitcoins and would soon nab the culprits.

“We now know that we need a lot of tools, collaborations and more training. We have almost wrapped up this case but there are still gaps and challenges in tracking the bitcoins.

“The challenges are not only the technical nature of the transactions but the technological tools needed to crack it,” the officer said.

https://dailynigerian.com/police-arrest-suspected-kidnapper-who-collected-15000-ransom-in-bitcoins/

And this one collected ransom in Bitcoins, what an e-kidnapper!


These guys want to take crime to a whole new level where our gallant and "intelligent" officers will struggle to decipher or unravel the crime.
#FresherCoursesNPF

NIGERIA POLICE INVESTIGATION DISCOVERY DEPARTMENT.......THUMBS UP

I don't believe, this is just an Awusa beggar

Silly innocent accomplice.....

Using bitcoin to collect Ransom as if they are smart.

Such info on puplic domain is dangerous.

If criminals in Nigeria maximize the anonymity of crypto currency.

Then its over with this rag tag police we have.

annoying enough, these criminals: kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists, etc., always appear and look malnourished, despite the money the make from their cursed illegal activities.


Look at this one for example.

if I hear mr ciroma i remember waec

Nigeria police just arrest this hausa beggar. Nigeria police just need someone to take the blame

Does this ugly almajiri know how to transact in bitcoins?

In other words, the kidnappers were.smart.

They bought the guy's Sim for 1000 naira, enough to buy a replacement, and then used that Sim to make the calls

Something also tells me they were moving from place to place while making the calls

The guy caught might be able to give a description of the buyer of his Sim for the police artist, which might provide a lead, otherwise, the case is cold.

That's probably why using the Sim card to solve kidnappings is going to be tougher. A kidnapper might buy a Sim from a stranger, and use it then vanish

Paxful on the beat.

I don't get it, it seems we are all missing the point here. They man in custody is clearly innocent. To put succinctly, he is an unwilling accomplice. The police should only try to get information from him regarding how the real suspect looks like. Someone who is from the North, clearly speaks only Hausa, drives okada, doesn't own a bank account clearly doesn't fit this profile. I'm sure that guy doesn't own a Facebook account talk less of a bitcoin wallet? Come-On! Where is our intelligence in this country. The police are clearly clueless as to how to investigate a bitcoin transaction. Even the CIA would find it extremely hard to pull this one off talk less of the NPF. Now his picture is already everywhere on the internet, wrongly tagged a kidnapper and our bloggers and media outlet are un-disappointingly stupid enough to spread such news. The NPF should be sued for such outrageously press release.

The innocent okada rider should be set free.

Modified: the mods should please rephrase the topic or take down the picture of the poor lad. This guy is clearly vindicated as not being the actual kidnapper by the police. Nairaland should not be aiding the spread of unverified and inauthentic news.

Cc: Lalasticala Seun Mynd44 OAM4J

From a southerner in defense of a Northerner
#OneNigeria

Yahoo Kidnapper

bitcoin kidnapper

who is thinking what am thinking?

The main culprit hasn't been arrested , the headline is misleading

Kidnapping on the rise in this Buhari regime

Cryptos are the easiest things to track... how do you think you're anonymous when everything is decentralized?

They do not need any permit from a judge or security operative to follow your transactions...

Most nigerians even use Luno, a platform that will carry out stringent verification formalities.

Good thing they've been busted. They should say hi to Mompha for us.

Akoba adaba olorun majari. Assuming this guy was literate and active on banking platforms, he would have been charged for kidnapping he knows nothing about simply because out of his simple mind he helped someone ignorantly. There was a company I used to work for in Lekki many years ago, a shipping company, my boss then made me do sim registration for several foreign ship crew engineers on ship. Back then I was naive about the risk implications. But when I got woke, everyday I just prayed that those white guys never got themselves involved in crime using those sims, before I get accused for something I know nothing about. That's one of the downsides of being too nice or dull, wicked people will always capitalize on it to put you in trouble you know nothing about

What does this one know about bitcoin?? Does he even know how to use a lap top ?? There's someone behind this guy

Correct guy

The gut looks innocent and naive. He probably sold his registered sim for the fee. . .not knowing the intentions of the Lady and her syndicate.

Yesterday this Lady met me at Area 3 and asked for my phone to call her line which according to her she forgot in a taxi. I sternly told her No.
She walked away immediately.

Please don't give strangers your phone to make calls or even to insert their sim cards.

This one na normal aboki now. Someone who could think of Bitcoin would definitely know to get rid of the mobile phone involved already

Hmmmm!







I sell cheap and super neat laptops with free delivery and pay on delivery.

Details on signature.

Sadio mane again