Plateau State Police Command on Monday paraded 17 hardened criminals arrested from the State and neighbouring Bauchi State.
The suspects are kidnappers, October 2021 Jos prison break escapee, culpable homicide and other criminals of conspiracy, trespass, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms among others.
While parading the suspects at the Police Headquarters in Jos, Commissioner of Police, Mr Bartholomew Onyeka, said that the arrested criminal suspects were rounded up from June to August 2022.
According to CP Onyeka, “The vigorous fight against these forces has led to a bountiful harvest of criminals who took part in various crimes within the period under reviews such as kidnapping, armed robbery, culpable homicide and unlawful possession of firearms.”
The police chief was not happy with the people of Plateau State and he expressed it because they are not coming out to volunteer information to the police even if the crime is perpetrated on their doorsteps.
He said that he has personally given out his phone numbers while his office is open 24 hours, yet nobody has deemed it necessary to come to him to give him information.
His words, “The people of this state are not coming out to give information. My office is open 24 hours. But nobody has come to me to give me information. This is not fair. You should come out to give information.”
He appreciated the gallant, professional and indefatigable police officers of the command that have brought about the successes without any information volunteered from members of the public.
Onyeka also thanked the media for rendering tremendous support in enlightening the populace while also thanking the law-abiding citizens of the state for their cooperation in making the fight against crime and criminality easy for law enforcement agents.
“The support of the media in our crusade and the publicity given to police activities has no doubt been tremendous. The public is better informed and educated on the good intentions of the police towards them and the need to form a strong alliance against the men of the underworld,” he stressed.
On the re-arrest of October 2021 Jos Prison Break Escapee, the police boss explained that to arrest the escapees, operatives of the Anti–Kidnapping Unit of the command intensified efforts and – arrested Mohammed Ibrahim aged 39 years old who escaped from the lawful custody of the Jos Correctional Centre.
“He is among the masterminds of the Jos Correctional Facility attack which took place on the 28th November 2021. The suspect was confirmed to be in prison awaiting trial for an alleged case of criminal conspiracy and kidnapping before the dastardly act.
“He was eventually – arrested in April 2022 in the Wamba Area of Nasarawa State. He will be handed over to the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Plateau State Command”, he contended.
Onyeka also talked about criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and kidnapping, saying that operatives of the Special Tactical Squad attached to the command, through credible intelligence, arrested one Haruna Hamisu aged 22 years old on 10th May 2022.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to belonging to the wanted gang of kidnappers who have been intercepting, robbing and kidnapping motorists and their passengers along Jengre – Saminaka roads. He also disclosed that his gang is into trading Kidnapped victims with other superior terror groups who continue negotiating ransom after the trade.
“Based on the strength of this information, the Federal Investigation Bureau (FIB) Special Tactical Squad trailed the kidnappers to their hideouts in Kudaru Forest and arrested one Umaru Hassan aged 20 years, Rufai Hasimu aged 20 years and Adamu Ali, 21 years all of Igabi village of Jengre in Plateau State while other members of their gang escaped narrowly,” he pointed out.
Suspects of criminal intimidation and defilement, two separate suspected kidnappers, armed robbery, car thief, stolen vehicle, culpable homicide, illegal dealing in arms and ammunition, and recovery of Mark 4 Rifle with live ammunition were also paraded.
