Four men — Haruna Seidu, Osman Sambo, Amadu Aminu and Hoyeefe Amadu — have been sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment each with hard labour for kidnapping and related offences in the Northern Region.

Northern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Wisdom Lavoe, said the convicts abducted a man at Wapuli and demanded ransom from his family.

“The accused persons were arrested by the Northern Regional Police Intelligence Unit while sharing the ransom money at Bokpaba on the Yendi–Bimbilla road,” he said.

The court convicted them of conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, causing harm and threat of death. It also ordered the auctioning of four motorbikes and four mobile phones, with proceeds going to the Consolidated Fund, while GH¢70,010 recovered from the ransom is to be returned to the complainant’s brother.

DCOP Lavoe said investigations are ongoing into other kidnapping cases, including one involving a teenage victim who was shot.

In the Kabulya case, armed men attacked a home, assaulted two people and abducted a boy, initially demanding GH¢100,000, later reducing it to GH¢20,000.

Police intercepted Amadu Abubakari at the Binda barrier, where GH¢20,000 and an unregistered motorbike were retrieved. He allegedly admitted involvement and named accomplices who are still at large.

The victim, Ali Issah, was later found at hospital with a gunshot wound and transferred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

In another case, 26-year-old Yahaya Issahaq was kidnapped and later found dead near River Dakar, with gunshot wounds and a chain around his neck.

DCOP Lavoe said: “The Northern Regional Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to combating kidnapping and other violent crimes within the region.”

Police are urging the public to provide information through 191, 18555, or nearby stations.