A male suspect has been arrested in connection with last Saturday kidnap of Niger State traditional ruler, the Dodo of Wawa in the Borgu Emirate, Dr. Mahmud Aliyu.
The suspect, who was apprehended last Monday, was said to be a security man recruited by the monarch about two months ago.
A source close to the Dodo of Wawa’s palace said the security man was recruited from Benin Republic to give protection to the traditional ruler, but a week before the abduction of Aliyu, the security man took permission to return to Benin Republic to attend to some pressing family problems, a request which the monarch granted.
However, it was gathered that the security man, whose name was not divulged to THISDAY, did not travel out of Wawa, as he was seen in the town by members of the community.
THISDAY also learnt that the arrest of the security guard was as a consequence of his appearance within the monarch’s palace a few hours before the kidnap took place, only for him to disappear from the area again.
However, palace sources said such information was given to security operatives investigating the incident, which led to the arrest of the security man.
Palace sources also informed THISDAY that the involvement of a woman in the kidnap of Aliyu must have been deliberately made by the abductors to neutralise any supernatural power the traditional ruler could have had, which would have made him to disappear.
In the meantime, a marathon meeting was held till late last Monday evening in New Bussa among the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Mohammed Dantoro, security chiefs in the area and the village and other districts’ heads.
THISDAY learnt that the Emir of Borgu was in Abuja on the first leg of his foreign trip when he heard the kidnap of his district head.
Dantoro, therefore, cancelled the trip and immediately returned to Bussa, where he presided over the meeting last Monday, it was learnt.
A source close to the meeting informed THISDAY that the kidnappers have not made any contact with the emirate or members of the immediate family of the abducted district head four days after the incident.
The cell phone of the monarch had also remained switched off since the incident occurred.
Efforts to get the reaction of the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Wasiu Abiodun on the arrest were abortive.