The Plateau State Police Command on Saturday paraded 17 suspects for crimes ranging from impersonation, kidnapping, culpable homicide, armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms.
The Commissioner of Police in the State, Edward Egbuka, while parading the suspects at the State Headquarters in Jos warned them to desist from their acts as the force was ready to take them on.
DAILY POST recalls that on the 3rd May, 2020, in his first briefing after assumption of office as the Commissioner of Police, in the State, the CP paraded one Ali Mohammed a suspected member of a dreaded gang of kidnappers who murdered Dr Nandi Drenkat, a lecturer at the University of Jos, and kidnapped his Seven years old daughter.
The deceased daughter was later rescued unhurt, after a gun battle between Police operatives assisted by local vigilante and hunters and the hoodlums.
Egbuka said, “In what I will refer to as ideal synergy with operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Plateau State, and in line with the Inspector General of Police IGP Mohammed Abubarkar Adamu, policy direction on the restructuring of Community Policing; the operatives of DSS in Plateau State were able to track down two other members of this notorious gang of kidnappers, who had escaped the gun battle with the Police with bullet wounds.
“On interrogation by the DSS operatives, the suspects confessed to being part of the gang that murdered the lecturer and kidnapped his daughter.
He added that “They took the operatives to their hideouts, where two firearms were recovered. An AK 47 rifle with two rounds of ammunition and a Beretta pistol with seven rounds of ammunition.
“Interestingly, this Beretta pistol was stolen from late Sergeant Jonathan Danladi of Laranto Division who had an encounter with this same dreaded gang of kidnappers in the early hours of 4th May 2020 at ECWA base Jos”, he explained.
According to him, “The Police Sergeant, in a bid to rescue an 18 years old female victim from the gang was shot dead and his Beretta pistol stolen.
The same gang killed a DSS personnel on 30th December 2017, along Dong-miango/Rukuba road in Jos North LGA.
“The suspects have confessed to several other kidnapping incidents, armed robberies and killings within Jos metropolis and Bassa LGA of the State from 2017 to date.
The CP, however, assured that the Command in collaboration with other security agencies have launched an aggressive manhunt for other members of the gang still at large.
The Police boss also said the Command arrested two suspected armed robbers.
According to him, “Again you will recall that on the 5th May 2020, at about 20:40 hours, hoodlums invaded the residence of one Rev. Canon Bayo James Femourune of Agape Mission, Messiah College, Gana Ropp Village in Barkin-Ladi LGA and in their bid to rob the victim and his family, shot him on the head and leg, the wife at her back, their son on the leg and a guest of the family was also shot on his leg.
“The hoodlums escaped before the arrival of the Police and other security agencies. However, acting on a tip-off, Police operatives at Barkin-Ladi arrested two of the suspects.
“One of the suspects has been identified by the victims”, he explained.
Egbuka said investigations are ongoing and efforts are being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang; while the suspects in custody will be arraigned in court as soon as the investigation is completed.
Also, in a case of impersonation, the CP said, “On 18th of May, 2020, at about 08:00 hours the operatives of sector 6 Operation Safe Havens arrested one John Nanzing Ladong of Gero area in Jos South LGA of Plateau State dressed in full military desert camouflage uniform with a captain rank driving an Army green coloured Peugeot model 206 vehicle who was later transferred to Area Command Bukuru.
“Upon interrogation, it was established that the suspect was not a military officer.
Further investigation and search conducted led to the recovery of these items, “One forged NAF ID card bearing Flying Officer JJ Nanzing, two machetes, one jack knife, six leave pass of the Nigeria Army, twelve pieces of Nigeria Army uniforms, three pairs of Nigeria Air Force uniforms, one Nigeria Navy trouser, one Nigeria Immigration service camouflage trousers, two pairs of military boots, one Nigeria Army Headquarters stamp, four passports photograph of senior retired military officers, fifteen Forcecom sim cards, four Nigeria Army recruitment application forms and one Nigeria Navy recruitment form bearing different names.
Other items found in his possession include; fake vehicle particulars and other suspicious documents,
He said the suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.