Nigeria: arrest of a pastor suspected of having organized his own kidnapping

Police photo in Nigeria.

(Illustrative photo) REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The insecurity and the multiplication of kidnappings give ideas to some.

A pastor is thus suspected of having organized his own kidnapping on two occasions.

Police in Plateau State, in the center of the country, announced his arrest.

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With our correspondent in Lagos,

Two kidnappings in less than two weeks ended up arousing suspicion. 

Pastor Albarka Bitrus Sukuya, who serves near the city of Jos in central Nigeria, allegedly staged his own kidnapping, first on November 14 and then on November 30 - to pocket the money paid for his release. 

The first time, his church followers paid 400,000 naira to have him released, the second time 200,000 naira, or about 1,000 euros in total. 

The police eventually summoned the cleric, who confessed to having organized his own disappearance with the help of three accomplices – two of whom were also apprehended.

The cleric would also have confessed to having set fire to two cars and a motorcycle belonging to another pastor who "

" him according to him. 

Already in 2021, the Nigerian press had a similar affair: it was again a pastor in financial difficulty, who had organized his own disappearance in the hope of extracting money. his family. 

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• Nigeria