Collage photo of Acting IGP Usman Alkali Baba and Corps Marshall, FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi.
By Collins Sunday (Lafia) & Abasifreke Effiong (Uyo)
The Nasarawa State Police Command have arrested a 12 man gang who masterminded the kidnap of 26 officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Nasarawa state, seven months ago.
Recall that on Monday September 14, 2020, 26 officials of FRSC who were traveling in two buses from Sokoto and Kebbi commands of the corps for a training programme at FRSC Academy, Udi, Abuja, were attacked at Udege junction, along Mararaban-Udege, Nasarawa State, at about 8a.m.
The Dune had reported that a combined security team comprising men of the Anti-Kidnapping squad in Nasarawa police command and Nigerian Army troop from 117 battalion had deployed drone technology in search of the kidnappers and found them to have taken the FRSC officials to a forest in the mountainous area of Adoka town, Nasarawa State, where they operated from.
Investigations by the Nasarawa state police command over the past seven months led to the arrest of a 12 member gang that masterminded the kidnap, the police said.
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Police source said two of the kidnappers are from Sokoto, two from Kebbi, two are from Zamfara, three from Kano, two from Plateau and one from Benue State.
The source revealed that the gang was involved in the kidnap of the two wives of the former Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Aliyu Ahmed Tijani who were later released after a ransom of N5 million was paid.
The gang was said to have also kidnapped the grandchildren of the Paramount Ruler of Udege community in Nasarawa LGA of the state and later released them after collecting a ransom of N10 million.
The Nasarawa state police command said since the kidnap of the FRSC officials, its Anti-Kidnapping unit headed by CSP Anietie Eyoh has been on its toes to ensure that the bandits who have been terrorising residents in the state are arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.
According to the police, the Anti-Kidnapping unit of the command tracked down the bandits in Nyanya, a town in Karu Local Government Area of the state when they were trying to escape from the police.
Confirming the arrest, Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Ramhan Nansel explained that before their arrest, the bandits had given residents of the state sleepless nights as they were constantly unleashing terror.
“The Nasarawa Police Command is happy that this set of bandits who have been terrorising residents of the state have finally been arrested by our gallant officers. We will continue to do everything within our powers until the state becomes completely free from all forms of insecurity”, he said.
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ASP Nansel appealed to residents of the state to always assist the Police with useful information that will help them serve the people better.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa state police command has arrested a notorious cultist who was on police wanted list.
The suspect was arrested on Monday by the Anti-Kidnapping unit in Bayelsa state led by SP Nsimo Benson.
“A serial killer, who is a leader of a cult group called greenlander has been arrested. The boy is fond of pulling the trigger, he has killed more than five people,” our source said.
The Dune learnt that there has been convoluted clashes between two cult groups, greenlander and bobois, in Yenogoa, which have led to the killing of more than 20 people.
When contacted on Tuesday, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa state command, SP Asinim Butswat, said the police would not speak on the arrest of the cult kingpin yet.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Kidnapping unit of the command has also arrested two men who were ferrying ammunition and one bag of weed suspected to be Indian hemp to Southern Ijaw.
“Following a tip off, Operatives of the Anti-kidnapping unit of Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested one Solomon Ibe 43 years and one Chris Amuka 23 years, at Ovom Waterside, Yenagoa.”
>The suspects arrested by police in Bayelsa State.
“The suspects were arrested while trying to ferry one bag of weed suspected to be Indian hemp and one hundred and twenty five rounds of live cartridges, to Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.”
“The suspects are assisting the Police in its investigation. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police Bayelsa State Command CP Mike Okoli, enjoins members of the public to continue to assist the Police with useful information to curtail crime in the State”, PPRO Butswat said in release sent to The Dune.
There has been a rising in cases of insecurity across the country, this
prompted Governors under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in a recent meeting held in Makurdi, Benue state to declare that there was no guaranteed security of lives and property in the country.
However, the Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, in his inaugural about a fortnight ago said the Nigeria Police Force will “address increasing complex security threats including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, secessionist agitation and sundry highly organised crimes” in the country.
