The Edo State Police Command has arrested a 52-year-old Islamic teacher, Jubril Ibrahim, over allegations that he was preparing charms for suspected kidnappers operating in Edo North Senatorial District.

Ibrahim was paraded in Benin City alongside four suspected kidnappers and six other suspects following a series of arrests carried out by police operatives.

The suspects were presented at the command headquarters on Tuesday by the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Patrick Daor.

According to the police commissioner, the suspected kidnappers were apprehended in Niger State following intelligence received and processed by operatives of the command.

Ibrahim, however, rejected the allegation that he was preparing charms for kidnappers.

The Islamic teacher explained through an interpreter that he teaches the Qur’an and had only been praying for one of the suspects, identified as 24-year-old Ahmadu Suleiman, after the suspect’s mother approached him.

Ibrahim said the woman had asked him to pray for her son because he travelled frequently and she wanted him to return safely from his journeys.

When questioned about Suleiman’s possession of a firearm, Ibrahim acknowledged that he knew the suspect had a gun.

Suleiman, meanwhile, admitted to participating in a kidnapping operation in Auchi, Edo State.

The 24-year-old told investigators that he had worked with different kidnapping groups in various parts of the country and would return to his base in Niger State after carrying out operations.

He disclosed that during one operation in Auchi, the gang targeted a community by identifying houses and vehicles that appeared valuable.

According to his account, the gang would fire shots into the air to frighten residents. As people attempted to escape, the attackers would seize some of them, take them into the bush and demand ransom.

Suleiman claimed he received ₦1 million from the Auchi operation, which he described as his only kidnapping involvement in the area.

When asked if the group relied on informants within the communities, he denied having local informants, saying the gang instead selected targets based on visible signs of wealth, including expensive vehicles and buildings.

The police also paraded a 21-year-old suspect who was allegedly connected to the theft of a baby around Ring Road in Benin City.

A stolen vehicle was also recovered during the police operation.

The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem, attributed the arrests to intelligence gathered by police operatives.

Ikoedem appealed to members of the public to continue providing credible information to security agencies, stressing that timely information could help prevent criminal activities and lead to the arrest of suspected criminals.

The suspects are expected to undergo further investigation as the police work to establish their individual roles in the alleged offences.