I Killed My Brother Because My Father Loved Him More-Suspect
By Ifeanyi Okolie
Operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, have arrested 20-year-old cattle rustler and kidnapper, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who recently masterminded the armed robbery and killing of his elder brother, Kadade Abdulahie of Amana maiKasuwa Village, in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
It was gathered that Abdulahi, who was arrested alongside one Hassan Amadu, was said to have contracted a five man gang of assassins, identified as Auwalu, Kiri Jumare, Nakaduwa, Yellow and Amadu to rob and kill his brother who he said was enjoying more favors from his father, is a cattle trader.
It was gathered that the deceased was given the sum of N1.7million, which was proceeds of some cows that was sold by his father to keep and Abudulahi, felt jealous and contacted his friends who attacked his brother in his house on March 21, 2020 and hacked him to death.
The sum of N300,000 was said to have been robbed from Kadade’s apartment at the time of the attack and Abudulahi got the sum of N100,000 as his share, but he ran into trouble, three months after the robbery and killing of his brother, when operatives of the IRT, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, attached to the operation Puff Adder in Kateri area of Kaduna State got information about Abudulahi’s activities and along side one of his gang member Amadu.
In his confession, Abdulahi, explained that his father’s excessive love for his elder brother made his organize his killing. He also narrated how he joined the cattle rustling gang, which later grew into an armed robbery and kidnapping gang terrorizing residents of Kaduna and Zaria respectively. He said; “My father is married to four wives and has so many children. I don’t know what is special about Kadade that he will not address his other children without robbing it on our faces that he is special.
I was never sent to regular school but Arabic school in Kaduna. It was only Kadade that attended primary and secondary school. My father said it was not necessary and he wanted all of us to be farmers. Yet he kept calling us illiterates that cannot speak English.”
“How can I speak English when my father did not send me to school? I learnt how to cultivate corn and rear cow. I had to get married to convince him that I am old enough to handle responsibilities. As soon as I got married , my father gave me only 20 cows and two plots of land.”
“ it was Adamu that a farmer that introduced me into robbery and kidnapping. I met him in the bush while I was rearing cows and he asked me to join him and since my father refused to grant me easy access to money I decided to join him. We started by stealing Ram, goat and sheep. Gradually when we was able to secure enough AK47 rifles, we started rustling cows. He also introduced me to one Abdulahi who lives in the forest. He is the person showing us rich people to kidnap after which he will get his own percentage.”
“I sold three of my cows at N100,000 each to get enough money to marry and take care of my new wife. I never kept the stolen cows because my father will notice and accuse me of stealing. Anyone we steal will be kept in the bush and sold later. Most of the people that we kidnap are Fulani cattle rearers that are known to us. Normally, we know the very rich ones and when they sell their cows.”
“We will kidnap them and ask them to bring the money they got from the sale. It is only few times that we entered the Kaduna Zaria express to stop motorist. We avoid that because there are so many stronger gangs in charge of those areas who sometimes invite us to join them if they need more hands.”
“My brother sold some cows and made N1.7million. It was a good deal that he came back and was making noise about it. My father was also very happy about it and asked him to keep the entire money. We expected him to share the money but he asked him to take it to the bank the next day.
That day I was so broke and asked my father for money. He started insulting me and asked me to learn to be responsible like Kadade. I was so bitter and immediately called Haruna and told him about the money in my house.”
I told them to come that night and also make sure that they kill my brother. Although i now regret my action but then I thought that his death will make my father allow me to control some of his businesses. That night around 12, about five of them came. They knocked on my window as a sign to let me know that they were around. They searched every where including my room and before they left, they killed my brother as I instructed them. My father was devastated and i consoled him that it is Allah’s wish. In the morning , I went to the bush to meet them and they told me that it was only N300,000 that they found with my brother. I collected N100,000 as my share since i was the one who brought the job. It was later when the village heard the death of my brother that we got to know that he kept part of the money in the village market safe. Initially , police came and arrested our neighbors because they also heard about the money made from selling cows. They were later released and my brother was buried and the matter was forgotten. I was surprised when police came back weeks later with Hassan and arrested me. I am terribly sorry and hope that my family will forgive me.”
on his part, 22-year-old, Hassan a native of Rinji village in Igabi local government area of Kaduna state said; “ My father sent me out of the house when I was 15 years to go and learn how to rear cows from one Alhaji Sani. Although my father is also a farmer, he preferred to send me out because he has so many sons. The agreement was that at the end of each year, the man that i am serving will give me a small cow. This is how I am expected to continue till I get enough to leave and start my own.
It was in the bush that I met Haruna and he gave me an idea how to make my own money. He told me that Alhaji Sani is very rich and has so many cows that he will not notice if one is missing.
“I started like that by leaving one behind every month when I take them out for feeding. Haruna will come back later and carry the cow and sell. This worked for me till Alhaji Sani discovered that his cows were missing and sent most us away.
“I told Haruna my plight and he asked me to come and start working for him. This was how we started stealing cows and gradually Haruna introduced us to robbery and kidnapping. Ibrahim is part of our gang and normally anyone can bring information about anyone that we can steal from or kidnap. It was the reason why he told us that there is money in their house. I never knew that he asked Haruna to ensure that Kadade was killed.
We all live around the same village, so I know Kadade very well as a hardworking man and very generous. I will never wish him dead. On the day of the incident , I was busy searching the other rooms for money when I heard a gunshot. I thought it was just to scare them and warn us to prepare to move out. It was in the bush that I learnt that Kadade was killed. We only found N300,000 in the house and my share was N40,000.”