Silhouette of kidnappers. Credit: Daily Trust

Richard Elesho/ Lokoja

The story has nemesis and other trappings of a Nollywood script. It’s a typical case of the hunter becoming a prey. An arms supplier was detained by his patron.

The Nigerian Police in Abuja on Monday paraded an alleged notorious kidnap kingpin, Mohammed Amodu who was abducted by a superior gang, led by 35-year-old Buba Babu, and had to pay ransome for his freedom.

Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who paraded both kidnappers alongside other criminals said Babu was notorious for kidnapping citizens on highways around Abuja.

Babu, he said, was a member of a kidnap syndicate headed by one Buji, who was killed by the police alongside the second in command.

Mba said Babu took leadership of the gang and was notorious for always killing kidnap victims.

Babu took Amodu captive and when the kidnapped victim, who was a kidnapper himself, hesitated to pay, he was shot in the arm.

Mba said Amodu had boasted that he had charms and could not be shot but Babu shot him to show how serious he was.

According to Sahara Reporters, the police spokesman said Babu had strong links with a major terror group in northern Nigeria.

He said, “Yet, he was kidnapped and held and Mohammed (Amodu) was released after he paid N1.55 million.”

Amodu, who said he had been involved in more kidnap operations than he could remember, revealed that he was kidnapped after supplying 90 rounds of live ammunition to Babu.

Amodu said Buba was associated with Boko Haram, and that he regained his freedom after paying the ransom.

He said there was a time his own gang kidnapped 20 victims at a time. He said he had saved up to N15 million from his nefarious activities.

Amodu said he witnessed an operation where Buba kidnapped 55 persons from a luxurious bus at a time.

Also speaking, Buba said he had been into kidnapping for three years. He said as a kidnap kingpin, he sent his colleagues for major operations along major roads because he never operated within towns.

Kidnapping has become a major security problem across the country for some years now.