by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
The Plateau State Police Command has arrested 39 suspects within the week, in connection with different criminal offices. Twenty-four (24) of these were paraded before newsmen.
While parading the suspects at the Plateau State Police Command, in Jos, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Okoro Julius Alawari, narrated that seven (7) pistols, 11 locally-made fabricated riffles, and 23 numbers of ammunition were recovered.
“Those arrested are those, who are criminally-minded to steal, rob, kill, destroy properties, kidnap, burgle dwelling places of suspecting citizens and commit other heinous crimes in the State,” he stated.
He also revealed that, “One Peter Ashom, an 80 years’ old man, lured an 11-yrs-old girl into his room and attempted to have carnal knowledge of her under the pretense of sending her on errands anytime she goes to sell groundnuts, and threatened to kill her, if she told anyone.
“The case is still under investigation and will be charged to court upon completion of due investigation. He was arrested on the 9th October, 2023,” the CP said.
CP Okoro Julius Alawari further explained that, On the 13/10/2023 at about 0900hrs, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Jos, received a phone call that one Dawon Daniel Pam, 5yrs old boy is missing and that all search throughout the night proved abortive.
But, that in the morning of 14/10/2023 at about 0540hrs, a pair of shoes belonging to the victim was found close to a handwritten note, stating that “If he wants his child, he should give Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) and that he should not call them but he should send a text message through the phone number below.”
The below GSM phone number was attached: 08186135490. Upon receipt of the report, a team of Police operatives, led by SP Okala Ugbede, swung into action and was able to trace the kidnappers on 23/10/2023 and arrested one of the culprits, Elijah Anthony , aged 17yrs old boy, of SS-3 who was supposed to write his SSCE of same address, who upon interrogation admitted and confessed to have conspired with one AKA Malic of no fixed address and kidnapped the victim from his father’ compound to an uncompleted building in the community where they kept him and tied his mouth with elastic dural cloth to stop him from shouting.
He also confessed that after collecting the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N400,000.00) from the victim’s parents, his accomplice, the said Malic, who is now at large strangled the victim, while he held his hands and legs.
Thereafter, they took the body and dumped it in a swampy place close to the uncompleted building. Based on the confession, a team of operatives visited the scene; the corpse was recovered and taken to the Plateau State Hospital for confirmation and necessary action, after which it was released to the parents for burial.
Investigation is still ongoing with a view to arresting the fleeing suspect and any other accomplice, adding that, future developments will be communicated in due time.
Others arrested were Armed Robbery at Tudun Wada by the surveillance team of A Division and, also, arrested suspects were 2 for stolen vehicles, and the vehicles were recovered.
On the 24/10/2023 at about 1700hrs, along Saminaka Lere LGA of Kaduna State, one Charles Ikuemesi Nonso ‘m’ 37yrs old of Kampala, off Rukuba Road, Jos, was arrested with one Honda Accord UK Blue color with Reg. No. AE 230 GMB, Chasis No. SHHCL36402U1000933, Engine No.: NI 100931.
The car was reported to have been stolen from the High Court premises Jos, where it was parked by the owner, one Bashir Idris, and the suspect confessed to the crime.
Also, arrest of suspected of cannabis dealers: On the 25/10/2023 at about 0530hrs, SWAT operatives of the Command, led by the DPO Bokkos Division, raided the residential premises of one Gabriel Dare, of Kungul Village, Richa District, Bokkos, where the following suspects, one Mary Gabriel and one Briskilla Dare, both of same address, were arrested.
According to him, the following items were found in their possession; Six (6) 750kg bags containing dry leaves suspected to be Cannabis, and three (3) Dane guns. The suspects were immediately arrested and taken to the Police Station.
Also, the Command arrested gun runner, while also arrest of homicide, offence of criminal abortion culpable of homicide and criminal trespass and theft, and robbery, among others.
The suspects of the kidnap of the 5 years’ old said because of his crime committed and arrest, he was not able to write his SSCE final exams.