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The Nigeria Police have arrested two suspected kidnappers who abducted and killed a Medical Doctor, Audu Benedict, his son and associate, despite collecting a N7.5 million naira ransom from the victims.
The tragic incident occurred on the 10th March, 2019 in Katsina-ala LGA of Benue State while the deceased victims were travelling from Taraba State to Abuja.
In a statement on Monday, Force spokesperson, Frank Mbah disclosed that the suspects, 25-year-old, Henry Terkula Gwa and 30-year-old, Terhile Tsavbe, both from Benue State, were arrested on the 6th and 11th June, 2020, following intense search for the victims and manhunt for the perpetrators by the Police team.
Mbah revealed that, according to investigations by the Force, the criminal gang collected 7.5million naira as ransom from the families of the victims as condition for their release.
“The suspects forced the late Dr Audu Benedict to issue them a cheque of N500,000.00 which they cashed in a commercial bank in Gboko town, Benue State,” he added. “Subsequently, the suspects killed the three (3) victims and had them buried in a shallow grave at Gawa in Katsina-ala LGA of Benue State.”
The Force spokesperson disclosed that the police team is on the verge of exhuming the remains of the slain victims, “while effort is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large”.
In a similar development, Mbah also disclosed that the Police have arrested “25 other criminal suspects for their involvements in a varying cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and illegal possession of prohibited firearms currently under investigations”.
“The suspects are members of high-profile criminal gangs terrorizing communities and major highways of the North-Central and North-West States of the country,” he revealed in the statement.
“Exhibits recovered by the police team from the suspects include: 6 AK47 rifles, three (3) locally fabricated pump action guns, One (1) locally fabricated pistol, 2 dane guns, 55 rounds of AK47 ammunition 4 empty magazines, one (1) laptop computer and One (1) Toyota Corolla Car with REG No. MKD 13 RC.
“All the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations.”
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu, according to the Force spokesperson, assured that the battle against criminal elements in the country is a continuous one.
Adamu also called for all hands to be on deck towards decisive victory and reclaiming of the public space from the criminal elements.