Yusuf Ismael Isah, a 32-year-old man from Okene, Kogi State, has been apprehended by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for his involvement in the attack on the convoy of prominent cleric Apostle Johnson Suleman.
The attack took place on October 21, 2022, along the Benin-Auchi Road, resulting in the tragic deaths of six individuals, including three police officers.
Following an investigation conducted by the FIB-IRT operatives who were tracking down the assailants, Isah was identified as part of a seven-man gang responsible for the attack.
During his arrest, authorities discovered five AK47 rifles, two K2 assault rifles, 180 live ammunition, and four suspected improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Isah’s apartment in Agbaraoluwa Phase 2 Ijoka, Akure, Ondo State. Some of the rifles seized were confirmed to be the ones taken from the slain police officers during the attack.
Isah, a plumber by profession, admitted to joining the gang in 2021 after his release from Olokuta Correctional Centre, where he had been on remand since 2019 for alleged involvement in armed robbery. He disclosed to journalists that he and his accomplices had trailed Apostle Suleman and attacked him with five AK47 rifles.
Isah stated that the intention behind the attack was to assassinate the cleric, although he claimed not to be privy to the discussions about the assassination plot. He also maintained that he did not know the person who ordered the hit on Apostle Suleman.
The suspect further revealed that their criminal activities primarily revolved around kidnapping for ransom, and they had carried out around four successful kidnappings between 2021 and 2023. This included the abduction of a prominent oil dealer in Jetu, Auchi, where they obtained a ransom of approximately N70 million before releasing the victim.
Additionally, the gang was responsible for the kidnapping of a businessman on the Benin-Agbor Expressway in 2022, during which they collected N20 million as ransom from the victim’s family.
Their most recent kidnapping attempt occurred on the Owo-Ikare Road but was thwarted by the police escort accompanying the targeted individual, resulting in a fierce confrontation between the gang and law enforcement officers.
