Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmad, who is a district head and his two sons have been detained in Ilorin, Kwara State capital over their alleged involvement in the kidnapping.
A magistrate court in the Nigerian city ordered that the suspects should be remanded for allegedly kidnapping the wife and daughter of the All Progressives Congress candidate for Malete/Ipaye/Oloru constituency in the House of Assembly, Lawal Ayansola Saliu, popularly called LAS.
The suspects are Magaji Alase of Ilorin, Ahmad, aged 55, and his sons, Mohammed, 15, and Ibrahim, 18.
The trio appeared before Magistrate Adam Mohammed on charges of conspiring to kidnap and kidnapping.
It was earlier reported that unknown gunmen stormed Saliu’s residence at Oke Ayewu/Shao Expressway in the Moro council area of the state and kidnapped his wife and daughter.
But Saliu, with the aid of his neighbour, a military officer, escaped with wounds during the attack.
The incident was the second attack recorded in the area within two months.
According to Saliu, while he was resting at home, some unidentified gunmen arrived and abducted his wife, Afusat, and son, Taofeek.
“The kidnappers had earlier collected the sum of N230,000 from him while taking the abductees but later demanded a ransom of N14m using his wife’s phone number. He later paid the sum of N3.2m as ransom before his wife and son were released,” the charge sheet read.
The police further told the court that while attempting to rescue the victims during the exchange of gunshots, two suspects sustained wounds and were taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) where they were confirmed dead.
“While searching the forest, the police recovered one single-barrelled gun, nine bottles of drinks, three pairs of rubber shoes, one cap, one jacket, and the sum of N177,500 from the defendants,” The police prosecutor, ASP Samuel Mayowa said.
He urged the court to remand the defendants at a correctional facility pending the outcome of further investigation by the police.
Magistrate Adam Mohammed subsequently ordered the remand of the first and second defendants at the federal correctional centre.
He ruled that the third defendant who is a minor should be kept at a correctional facility in Ilorin pending the arrival of legal advice from the office of the Attorney General of the state.
