The police in Benue State have arrested 13 suspected kidnappers including their ‘juju’ priest for the recent abduction of a commissioner and various other people in the state.
Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Wale Abass, noted on Monday that the arrest followed a deployment of tactical teams to the southern part of the state to address kidnap syndicates grouping in the area.
Abass said as a result of the deployment, men of Operation Zenda JTF trailed and arrested the 13 persons in connection with the case of kidnap that happened on December 4, 2022.
The kidnap involved the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Chief Dennis Ekpe Ogbu, and other incidents reported in the area.
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“One Mohammed Usman Omachoko who specialises in preparing protection charms for kidnappers; David Ejembi, Aondongu Akighir also known as “Too Proud” and Teryima Peter were also arrested while they were on their way to purchase guns for the group,” he said.
Further investigation led to the arrest of nine other gang members.
“Two locally made Baretta pistols loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition were recovered from them. The suspect confessed to the crime.”
The police commissioner, in a statement signed by his spokeswoman, SP Catherine Anene, however, urged the people of the state to provide useful information to the police to enable them to fish out hoodlums within their communities, reiterating that the operations will also make room for hitch-free 2023 general elections.
