Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Nigeria Police force have arrested eight suspected gang members who kidnapped and murdered a 93-year-old father of former Plateau State governor, Senator Joshua Dariye after collecting N10 million ransom money.
The victim, Pa Dariye Defwan who was abducted in June 2020 in his village, Horop, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State by suspected gang members in his community was murdered after eight days in the kidnapper’s den.
The leader of the gang, 57-year-old Jethron Ngusen also known as ‘Baba Tuwon’ who recruited the suspects alongside five Fulani bandits, now on the run expressed disappointment over the killing of the octogenarian after collecting ransom.
While blaming his boys for not keeping to his initial instruction that the victim be freed after collecting ransome, the gang leader pleaded for forgiveness over the brutal murder of the victim. Although, he however, did not express regret for kidnapping him.
Spokesman of the police, CP Frank Mba who paraded the suspects at the Goodluck Jonathan International Peacekeeping Center, Force Headquarters, Abuja today said a total of 13 suspects were arrested following intelligence driven operations by IRT where 26 AK-47, one AK49 and 14 Live Ammunition for AK47 were recovered.
Other members of the gang arrested are Sunday Ibrahim, 35, Titus Ezikiel, 33, Ya’u Saidu aka Ya’u Kaban, 40, Dauda Isah, 38, Mangut Shumuwar, 30 and Henry Amos, 35 years.
It would be recalled that, Pa Dariye was first kidnapped in 2015 and was released after a ransom money was paid by his family, but unfortunately he couldn’t survived the last one.
In a related development, CP Mba stated that, a three man gang, led by Ayuba Joel, was arrested on August 28, 2021 alongside Hassan Umar, an indigene of Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa at a border between Nassarawa and Taraba state called Angwan Kabawa Tunga for alleged illicit selling of unlawful weapons to bandits, kidnappers, terrorists and armed robbers.
Joel who confessed to the crime told newsmen that, he was living in the forest with Fulani bandits before they were arrested while trying to sell Ak47 rifles’ magazines.
Meanwhile, Peter Moses and Sadiq Abubakar also known as Samuel Johnson on the social media were arrested for alleged involvement in cyber kidnapping and rape.
Sadiq, the gang leader is said to be notorious for luring unsuspecting women on the social media to his house, raping and taking them hostage for ransom.
In a confessional statement to newsmen, Sadiq who hailed from Kogi State said, he has been into the crime for six months and the highest money he has ever collected is N500,000.
He also revealed that, he chose to go into this crime because, “Women are easy to deceive” adding that, he has raped two victims.
