From Jude Dangwam, Jos

The Plateau State Police Command has paraded no fewer than 39 suspects arrested in connection with 7 locally made pistols, 11 fabricated ruffles recovered as well as 23 pieces of ammunition.

The Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Okoro Julius Alawari parading the suspects on Thursday at the Force Headquarters in Jos the Plateau state capital noted that among the suspect is an 80 years old suspected rapist who allegedly rape an 11 years old minor in Jos.

The 80 years old Peter Ashom is said to have lured the 11yrs old girl into his room and attempted to have carnal knowledge of her under the pretense of sending her on errands anytime she goes to sell groundnuts and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

Alawari equally brief Newsmen that the Command have arrested a 17 years old kidnaper one Elijah Anthony kidnapped a 5 years old son of their neighbors and they strangled him after collecting 400,000 from the 5 million ransom earlier demanded.

According to Alawari, “On 13/10/2023 at about 0900hrs, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Jos received a phone call that one Dawon Pam ‘m’ 5yrs old is missing and that all search throughout the night proved abortive.

“But that in the morning of 14/10/2023 at about 0540hrs, a pair of shoes belonging to the victim was found close to a handwritten note stating that ‘If he wants his child, he should give Five Million Naira (N5,000,000.00) and that he should not call them but he should send a text message through the phone number 08186135490.”

CP further noted that upon receipt of the report, a team of Police operatives led by SP Okala Ugbede swung into action and was able to trace the kidnappers on 23/10/2023 and arrested one of the culprits, Elijah Anthony ‘m’ aged 17yrs of the same address.

The suspect he said upon interrogation admitted and confessed to have conspired with one AKA Malic ‘m’ of no fixed address and kidnapped the victim from his father’s compound to an uncompleted building in the community where they kept him and tied his mouth with elastic dural cloth to stop him from shouting.”

Anthony is said to have confessed that after collecting the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N400,000.00) from the victim’s parents, his accomplice the said Malic who is now at large strangled the victim while he held his hands and legs.

“Thereafter, they took the body and dumped it in a swampy place close to the uncompleted building. Based on the confession, a team of operatives visited the scene, the corpse was recovered and taken to the Plateau State Hospital for confirmation and necessary action after which it was released to the parents for burial.” CP stated

The Police Commissioner in the State maintained that all the 39 suspects will be charged to Court at the end of investigation into their respective cases. While assuring citizens of the State that the Command will continue to sustain the offensive operations on criminal hideout towards making the State safe for all law abiding citizens.