Police in Benue State are said to have detained nine people for alleged kidnapping and robbery.
In the state’s Kwande, Vandeikya, and Otukpo Local Government Areas (LGAs), it happened amid the celebrations for the new year.
The command’s superintendent, SP Catherine Anene, a public relations officer, released a statement on Monday in Makurdi that included information about the accused’s arrest.
Aside from the three cases in the three LGAs listed above, the command said in the statement that there were not many crimes in the state during the celebrations.
She claims that one of the incidents occurred on December 28, 2022, at around 1:30 a.m., when “information was obtained that armed robbers were operating along the Adikpo-JJato-Aka route, in Kwande LGA, and attacked and stole the property of road users.”
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“One Aondongu Iorlamen, Abigwa Bebatso, and five other people were detained in connection with the matter over the course of the investigation.” Items found from them include a motorcycle taken from the same crime scene, a head mask, a military camouflage, and a single-barreled rifle built locally.
And on December 31, 2022, at around two in the morning, a distress call was received reporting that five suspected kidnappers had entered a compound in Tse-kpum, Vandeikya LGA, with the intention of abducting one Mr. Terzungwe. The accused fled into a nearby woodland when the police arrived, where one of them was eventually captured while his gang comrades managed to escape. The suspect acknowledged sending the victim’s nemesis to kidnap him and demand money.
The same thing happened on January 2, 2023, around 11 a.m., when Safer Highway Patrol personnel were on stop and search duty at the Ogene junction on the Otukpo-Ugbokolo route. They stopped Aliyu Danazumi and discovered that he was carrying items that they believed to be stolen.
“A spot check of his possessions turned up ten phones, a cutlass, and a bag of brand-new clothing and shoes.” The guy admitted to breaking into stores with other gang members to steal merchandise while business owners were away for Christmas.
She stated that inquiries into each case were still ongoing.
