Ibrahim Abdullahi, well known as Mandi, has been caught by the Nigerian Police. He is believed to be the mastermind behind the infamous attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train in March 2022, which resulted in the deaths of multiple passengers and the kidnapping of numerous more. ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, made the announcement of the arrest on Thursday in Kaduna.
Leading player in a kidnapping gang, Abdullahi has been connected to other high-profile kidnappings, including the traumatic event at Greenfield University in 2021, in addition to the train attack. 48 AK-47 rifles were seized by the police during his detention beneath a flyover on the Abuja-Kaduna Road, and they are presently looking into his contacts to identify his possible sponsors and source of weaponry.
According to ACP Adejobi, the operation that resulted in Abdullahi’s apprehension was carried out by agents from the Kaduna State Criminal Investigation Department’s anti-kidnapping section and was supported by reliable intelligence. In the struggle against the criminal activity that has plagued the Kaduna-Abuja route, he praised the arrest as a major accomplishment.
The suspect, who was ranked alongside criminals such as Dogo Gide and Bello Turji, admitted to being the head of a kidnapping gang that terrorized the Kaduna-Abuja route. Adejobi clarified, “He had taken part in practically all of the kidnappings along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway and had participated in a number of kidnapping occurrences.
The arrest is a part of the Nigerian Police’s larger operation, which has been largely successful in recent months. Along the vital Abuja-Kaduna road, the force has apprehended 81 armed robbers, 40 kidnappers, 73 murder/homicide suspects, 36 rape suspects, 22 people connected to cult-related crimes, and 28 people involved in other criminal activity since January.
In addition, the police have found 226 rounds of ammunition, 28 stolen cars, 600 bags of fertilizer, 16 different types of rifles, and over 200 dangerous weapons. They have also successfully recovered ₦3,350,000 (three million, three hundred fifty thousand Naira) in ransom payments and successfully reunited 158 kidnapped victims with their families.
These operations serve as a reminder of the strategic plans and continuous efforts being carried out by the Nigeria Police Force, led by IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to safeguard the infamous Abuja-Kaduna highway as well as other regions of the nation. A tragic day in Nigeria’s recent history occurred on March 28, 2022, when terrorists attacked the AK9 train traveling from Abuja to Kaduna. The train was derailled by the attackers using explosive devices, killing eight passengers at the time and one more who later passed away from a gunshot wound. Records from the Nigerian Railway Corporation show that 362 out of the 398 people who bought tickets had their boarder status verified.
