From Yusuf Mairiga Shekarau, Jos
The Plateau State Police Command said it has arrested 25 people for alleged cases of criminal conspiracy, defilement, kidnapping and armed robbery in separate operations jointly carried by personnel of Operation Puff Adder and Anti-Kidnapping Unit within its areas of responsibility.
The development was revealed at a press briefing held Wednesday, in the State Police Headquarters, Jos.
The state Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede told newsmen that “On the 22 February 2020, the Nasarawa Gwong Division received an intelligent report about a notorious armed robber, Abdulsalam Adam in view of which the command instantly deployed a team of detectives that got the suspect arrested. The Commissioner said one locally made pistol was recovered from him while two members of his gang took to their heels.
Akinmoyede also said “ On the 28 February 2020, operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) received communications while on routine vehicular patrol, that “ One Uche Evangelene from Lamingo area and Manya Gabriel of Tina Junction were robbed at Dogon Karfe. On receipt of the information, operatives of the AKU immediately raced to the scene of the incident where one Emmanuel was arrested.”
CP Akinmoyede said the suspect is currently assisting the police in order to apprehend the remaining hoodlums who are on the run.
The Commissioner further said “ One suspect, Isaac Bonifes aged 20 was arrested for an alleged defilement of four year old teenager in Jos. Meanwhile, the suspect who confessed that he has committed the offense told our correspondent that “It was a mistake.”
On a regular interval, the Police said it has arrested “ One Shamsudeen Hamza and two others from Bokkos LGA who fraudulently collected (2,000,000) from residents of the area on the ground of giving them ‘mercury’ which they will use to produce US Dollar.”
The suspect who equally confessed he had committed the alleged offense attested he conspired with a friend in getting the deceitful business done.
Asked of measures the command is employing towards ensuring safety of those in custody against the Covid-19 pandemic, CP Akinmoyede said “We have convened a medical team that help in carrying test on suspects before keeping any in our custody, nothing that there’s no confirmed case of Covid-19 in Plateau.”
The police said necessary investigations were ongoing in respect of all the suspected cases and that the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are over.
While urging members of the public to remain law abiding, CP Akinmoyede acknowledged support receiving from members of the public who have been helping the police day-in-day-out with useful information that facilitate curbing menace of criminality and tracking down perpetrators.
