Police arrest suspected kidnappers, rescue nine kidnapped passengers in Benue

Police officers from Benue State command has rescued nine kidnap victims and also arrested three suspected kidnappers.

SP Catherine Anene, the spokesperson for the command, who disclosed this in a statement in Makurdi on Wednesday, June 19, mentioned that three other suspects were arrested for fraud.

The PPRO noted that the suspected kidnappers were responsible for the kidnap of some passengers of a Benue Links vehicle after killing the driver.

“On the 13/06/2024 at about 1700hrs information was received that, while a Benue links vehicle was conveying passengers from Onitsha to Makurdi, gunmen suddenly emerged from a nearby forest around Ojano-Oglewu and shot sporadically at the vehicle, causing the vehicle to stop at the forest,” the statement read.

“The driver of the said vehicle sustained gunshot injuries that led to his death while the passengers were kidnapped.

“During the investigation, nine suspects were rescued, while on 17/6/2024 three suspects, named Saleh Hassan ‘m’, Yakubu Alhaji Kande, and Yunusa Idris all of Keana LGA, Nasarawa State were trailed and arrested in connection with the case

It added that the three suspected fraudsters were arrested at Kigh village along Naka road on Monday.

“During the operation, one Philip Matthew ‘m’ 25 yrs, Haribu Jafai ‘m’ 27yrs and John Ode Arubi ‘m’ 24yrs, were arrested,” the statement read.

The PPRO listed items recovered from the suspected fraudsters two iPhones, five laptops, different ATM cards, and five 9mm live ammunition.