Chuwang Emmanuel
The police on Friday paraded 20 suspected kidnappers in Taraba.
They were paraded at the Police Headquarters in Jalingo, the state capital.
The suspects were accused of taking part in kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.
The police spokesperson in Taraba State, Usman Abdullahi who addressed reporters during the parade on behalf of the State Commissioner of Police, Suleiman Yusuf, said they were arrested in separate operations across the state.
Mr Abdullahi, a superintendent of police, said the 20 suspects all males were arrested, in separate operations, carried out by the Anti-Kidnapping unit of the command for various offenses including, kidnapping, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms.
He said “Acting on credible information, the special Anti-Kidnapping unit of the Command arrested one Sanusi Ibrahim John Baba and Hassan Yusuf all of Sabon-Gida Akwawe village Kurmi LGA who were among the Kidnapping gang terrorizing Sabon-Gida Akwawe village.
Abdullahi said the suspects criminally conspired and invaded the house of one Mafure Hassan of Sabon-Gida Akwawe village, Kidnapped two of his relations, Usman Hassan and Habiba Mafure, and demanded a ransom of N2.1 million.
He said the victims were rescued by the police team and were reunited with their families after spending five days with the kidnappers.
Also paraded were those who criminally conspired and invaded the house of one Husseini Mohammed in Didang, Kurmi local government area, and kidnapped his son named Yahaya Husseini to an unknown destination, demanding a ransom of N6 million.
He said, “During the process of delivering the ransom to the kidnappers by the relations of the victim, the Anti-kidnapping team was intimated, they swiftly responded and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel and succeeded in arresting some of the suspects.
He said the kidnappers, most of whom escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds, abandoned the victim due to the superior firepower of the operatives and the victim was rescued unhurt.
In another operation, the anti-kidnapping team also arrested Mohammed Saleh in Goroho village in Wukari local government area for invading the house of Theophilus Abeh in Gindin Dorowa.
Abdullahi said Saleh Kidnapped the daughter of Abeh and demanded a ransom of N1 million.
“Acting on intelligence, the Anti-kidnapping team of the Command swung into action and deployed operatives to the area and arrested one Mohammed Saleh
“The suspect has confessed to the crime alongside others now at large. However, no effort will be spared to ensure that the suspects at large are arrested and face the wrath of the law.
Several AK-47 rifles, ammunition, and cash believed to be ransom money were all recovered from suspects, police said.
He said all the 20 suspects confessed to the crime during interrogation, adding that a discreet investigation has been launched in order to charge them to court for prosecution.
The police commissioner commended the operatives for their efforts and warned criminals operating in the state to desist or be ready to face the law.
