THE Nigeria Police, on Sunday, arrested 11 members of a kidnap syndicate in Taraba State.
The suspected kidnappers, according to the Force Public Relations Officer Frank Mba, were allegedly involved in the killing of a deceased Police sergeant in Taraba and the kidnapping of an undisclosed officer of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and relative of the Emir of Jalingo.
The deceased officer was late Sergeant Ogidi Habu, according to a statement issued by Mba.
The alleged criminals were identified as Luka Adam, Shuaibu Nuhu, Moses Amos, Peters Mashi, Ahmadu Mallam, Adamu Mohammed, and Dahiru Mallam Dalha.
Others were Gambo Isah, Sanusi Ahmadu, Mallam Mohammed Mauludu, Ibrahim Idi, all indigenes of the state.
The accused were arrested by the Police Intelligence Response Team, alongside the state Police Command.
The statement, which attributed the several criminal activities in the state to the arrested individuals, revealed that at least seven AK47 rifles and some ammunition were seized from the alleged criminals.
At least two of the listed accused persons –Gambo Isah and Sanusi Ahmadu – were on the wanted list of the Police.
They allegedly masterminded the killing of the Police sergeant and left a Police inspector with gunshot injuries in their recent operation, after a recent abduction of some victims in Jalingo.
Taraba State has witnessed several cases of kidnapping, killing, and other forms of insecurity in recent months.
In February, 48 hours after state labour chairman was kidnapped, gunmen struck in Jalingo to kidnap another.
Police investigations revealed the accused often trailed business owners and government functionaries, including motorists with flashy and exotic cars, to their houses and thereafter kidnapped them.
According to the statement, the accused always demanded huge sums of money as ransom from relatives and friends of their victims before their release.
“The Police team equally recovered seven (7) AK47 rifles, two (2) Beretta pistols, 121 rounds of live ammunition of different calibre, four (4) magazines, masks, illicit drugs and other incriminating items during raids of various hideouts of the suspects in the State.
“The arrest of the suspects follows the deployment of operatives of the Intelligence Response Team by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc to Taraba State to complement the efforts of the Taraba State Police Command in promptly containing the disturbing trend of kidnapping, armed robbery, and other violent crimes in the State,” the statement read.
Some victims of abductions were also rescued during the Police operation, the statement said.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at [email protected]. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin