- Plateau Police commander briefs journalists on recent arrests and security efforts
On Monday, the Plateau State Police Command announced the arrest of 178 individuals suspected of various criminal activities, including cultism, kidnapping, human trafficking, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and armed robbery.
Notably, 118 of the suspects were apprehended on July 7, a day believed to be a cult celebration and initiation day, with the majority of arrests related to cultism.
The Command added that the remaining 60 were arrested for other various crimes.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Emmanuel Adesina disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Command’s headquarters in Jos the State Capital.
He said, “Through the multifaceted strategies employed by the Command and the prudent utilisation of human and material resources, we have been able to sustain the prevailing peace being experienced today on the Plateau.
“Apart from the series of stakeholders meetings I have held with stakeholders from the troubled Local Government Areas in the State, as a remedy for peaceful co-existence in the state, I have emplaced intensive patrol, raiding of criminal hideouts and visibility policing which has become the hallmark of my policing strategy employed in recording these recent achievements.
According to him, “Based on credible intelligence gathered, I ordered the raiding of an apartment suspected to be a hideout of a cult syndicate.
“As a result, the Command Eagle-Eye Patrol Unit (EEPU) arrested the following suspects; one Obinna Eze, male, 27 years, of Uzuwani Enugu State, an identified ex-Convict, Drug dealer and the hitman of the Aye Confraternity, Jenifer Charles, female, 25 years, of Nasarawa State, Milcah Joseph, 27 years of Jos South LGA, all in possession of substances suspected to be Indian Hemp, other Narcotic substances and Charms.
“Based on information revealed by the suspects, several other hideouts around Farin Gada were raided, where one Chilebo Moses, male, 19 years of Benue State, said to be the Second in Command (Chief Priest) of the Aye confraternity was arrested in company of one Somto Chukwu, 35 years, Chinedu Ede, 50 years, both male and one Elizabeth Kabiru, 42 years, female who are suspected facilitators of the cult activities.
On the arrest of suspects for the offence of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and causing grievous hurt, the CP said, “At about 11:55 pm, one Mangede Musa, a male of Mungkohot village, Chip district reported that he was attacked and robbed of the total sum of three million naira only, by two men armed with cutlasses.
“He identified one of the suspects as Aminu Musa, a male. The said Aminu Musa was arrested and when he was interviewed by our men, he mentioned his accomplice as Mohammed Nasiru, a male who was also arrested. Both suspects confessed to the crime.
He said the case would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
Speaking on the arrest of a child trafficking suspect, Adesina said, “On the 14th July 2024 at about 3 pm, the Plateau State Police Command arrested one Peace John, female, 20 years old of behind Redeemed Church Bukuru Low cost in connection to a case of human trafficking.
According to him, “The victims whose rescue became viral on social media were said to have been rescued from the Republic of Ghana and repatriated back to Nigeria; they revealed upon interrogation, that it was the said Peace John who specializes in trafficking persons to Ghana for sexual exploitation that lured them to Ghana.
“The suspect has been arrested, an investigation is ongoing at the State CID and the case will be charged to court upon conclusion.
On the arrest of suspects for attempted kidnapping, CP Adesina said, “On 29th May 2024 at about 11:30 am, one Yusuf Musa, male of Angwan Kayarda, Gindiri District reported at the Gindiri Divisional Headquarters that on 28th May 2024 at about 11 pm while his sons were in the bush with his cows, unknown gunmen invaded their camp, beat them up mercilessly and snatched their phone, machetes and knives.
“He also revealed that the suspects also gave his son a phone number to pass onto him to enable him to call and pay them off to avoid being kidnapped.
“Upon receipt of the report, I immediately ordered the phone number to be tracked; consequently, one Ibrahim Audu was arrested. Upon conducting our interview, he confessed to the crime and mentioned his co-conspirator as one Manu Adamu, 40 years of Angwan Madaki, Langai district both male”, he explained.
The CP further stated that all suspects arrested are still under investigation and will be charged in Court upon the conclusion of the investigation.