By Pwanagba Agabus, Jos
The Plateau State Police Command on Wednesday paraded 23 suspects for crimes ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, culpable homicide, possession of firearms among others.
The Police also said some of the suspects were found to be in possession of locally made guns, live cartridges, ammunitions, vehicles, burnt tricycle, mobile phones, a tool box and burglary implement.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner of Police in the State, Isaac Akinmoyede, while briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Jos.
Akinmoyede said, “Within the period under review, the Plateau State Police Command had recorded some milestone successes in the arrest of some criminal elements that are bent on making the job of policing on the Plateau difficult and ensuring that some law abiding residents of the state experience pain and anguish.
“Their arrest led to the recovery of arms, ammunition and other unlawful implements that aid them in their unlawful trade.
According to him, “On the 19th February, 2020 at about 01:15 hours a distress call was received from a good Samaritan by the Anti-Kidnapping Unit that a four-man gang that specialize in kidnapping forcefully invaded the residence of one Ladi Gwani of Rayfied Jos on the aforementioned date and attempted kidnapping her daughter one Jumima Gwani aged 4years, but met some resistance and ran away.
“The operatives of Anti-kidnapping Unit in collaboration with Operation Puff Adder of the Command immediately embarked on hunt of the hoodlums. The investigation yielded result with the arrest of the following suspects; Joseph Dawen, 19 years, Samuel Vidap Mangs, aged 25 years, Bamshak Mark aged 24 years, and David James aged 19 years all of Favwei Area of Jos South LGA of Plateau State.
He added that exhibits recovered from the suspects include, three pairs of pliers, two knives and a machete.
“The suspects will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed”.
Also, the Police Commissioner, said that, a suspect in a case of cultism and illegal possession of firearms was arrested on the 1st March, 2020 at about 00:21 hours.
“In the spirit of Community Policing, the Police operatives of the ‘A’ Division and members of Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN), Jenta Adamu in Jos North LGA embarked on a joint patrol. While on patrol, they arrested a known cultist and drug dealer one David Timothy aged 18 years of Jenta Adamu with one locally made Pistol and one live cartridge, some wraps of leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp and some illicit drugs.
Akinmoyede maintained that efforts are on to arrest some of his cult members with a view to prosecuting them.
In another case of Criminal Conspiracy and Rape, the Police Boss said, “On 5th March, 2020 at about 01:00 hours one Philibus Ibrahim of Kwahas Lahir, Mangu reported at Mangu Divisional Headquarters that one Sadiq Abubakar and one Seplang Lanle of the same address criminally conspired, lured his daughter (name withheld) aged 15years to Crystal Palace lodge, Mangu and raped her.
“The suspects were arrested by the Police and will be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed”.
“I want to passionately call on the peace loving residents of Plateau State to continue giving us timely information in order to nip crime in the bud or arrest the criminal elements among them.
“On our part, I promise that the Command under my watch shall do everything possible to reduce crime in Plateau State to its barest minimum”, Akinmoyede assured.
“I want to recognize the sacrifice of members of the fourth estate of the realm towards making our society better and safer”, he stressed.
