Police:

The Katsina Police Command, said it arrested three youths who stage managed a fake kidnap of their friend to extort a ransom of N500, 000 from his father, Alhaji Illayasu Jibiya.

DSP Gambo Isah, the Katsina Command Police Relation’s Officer (PPRO) told the News Agency on Thursday in Katsina.

“Those arrested are Aminu Rahamawa, (19), Abdullahi Bature (23), and Kabiru Iliyasu, the son of a businessman in Jibia town of the state.

Isah disclosed that the youths conspired and stage managed the kidnapping of their friend, Kabiru Iliyasu, and demanded for a ransom from the father, Alhaji Iliyaus.

“The youth demand for N500, 000 before they will release the victim or they will exterminate him,” he said.

The PPRO said that the rich man before paying the ransom reported the matter to the state CID for investigation.

Isah revealed that the CID collected the GSM phone that they had been using to call the father of the fake kidnap case.

“The police operatives directed the businessman to comply and pay the ransom money at the point they directed.

“Luck, however, ran against them as the police arrested one of them trying to pick the ransom money,” he said.

The PPRO revealed that the arrested person was the one that led the “cat out of the bag” that their friend was the one that organised the fake kidnap with a view to get money from his father, Alhaji Iliyasu Jibia.

Isah revealed that the three youths were currently helping the police with vital information about the case.

He called on members of the public to always forward information about criminal activities to police for action, saying that the police would not reveal the identity of the person that provided the information.

NAN reports that Jibia is a business border town with an international grains market.