Politics

Nasarawa police foil alleged kidnap, arrest four suspects

The police spokesperson in Nasarawa, Ramhan Nansel, a superintendent of police, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

The police have foiled an alleged plan to kidnap a man in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The police said four suspects allegedly involved in the plot were arrested by operatives of the State Intelligence Department (SID), Lafia, following what the command described as credible intelligence.

The suspects are Yahaya Musa, Likita Adamu, Riga Abdullahi and Saidu Alhaji Gari, all from Adudu district.

According to Mr Nansel, the suspects allegedly planned to abduct Ibrahim Abdullahi, popularly known as Alhaji Na’iye.

He said the police uncovered the plan before the suspects could execute it.

Two of the suspects were arrested on 19 September, while the remaining two were arrested on 22 and 23 September.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and revealed their plan to kill the victim after collecting the ransom,” Mr Nansel said.

The suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Lafia, for further investigation and prosecution, the police said.

In a separate incident, the police arrested two suspects over the suspected cult-related killing of a 26-year-old man in Lafia, the state capital.

The police said the incident occurred at about 6 a.m. on Thursday after the divisional police officer of Ombi 1 Division received a distress call about a young man lying in a pool of blood behind the Eji-World area.

Police operatives who visited the scene found the victim, identified as Venus, an indigene of Benue State.

He was taken to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia, where he was confirmed dead.

Preliminary investigation showed that the assailants had allegedly gone to look for the deceased’s friend, Joseph Oluyemi of Maisoti Street, Lafia.

Mr Oluyemi told the police that he had earlier received threats from suspected cult members.

The police said two suspects, Friday Joshua and ThankGod Vincent, had been arrested in connection with the killing.

Efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspects who remain at large, Mr Nansel said.

The body has been deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Shetima Jauro Muhammad, directed the police to conduct thorough investigations into both cases and ensure that all persons found culpable are prosecuted.

He also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements and activities to the police.