The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a 12-man gang, who allegedly masterminded the kidnap of 26 officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps in the state seven months ago.
On Monday, September 14, 2020, 26 officers of the FRSC, who were travelling in two buses from the Sokoto and Kebbi commands of the corps for a training programme at the FRSC Academy, Udi, Abuja, were attacked at the Udege junction on the Mararaban-Udege Road around 8am.
A police source told our correspondent that two of the kidnappers hailed from Sokoto, two from Kebbi, two from Zamfara, three from Kano, two from Plateau and one from Benue states.
“Investigations by the Nasarawa State Police Command over the past seven months led to the arrest of the 12-member gang that masterminded the kidnap,” he said.
The source revealed that the gang was also responsible for the kidnap of the two wives of the former Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Aliyu Tijani, who were released after the payment of N5m ransom.
The gang was said to have also kidnapped the grandchildren of the paramount ruler of Udege community in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state and only released them after collecting a ransom of N10m.
The source also revealed that the command, since the kidnap of the FRSC officers, had been on its toes to ensure that the bandits, who had been terrorising residents of the state, were arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law.
“The Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the command headed by CSP Anietie Eyoh was able to track down the bandits in Nyanya, a town in the Karu Local Government Area of the state, when they were trying to escape from the police,” the source added.
Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, ASP Ranham Nansel, explained that before their arrest, the bandits had given residents of the state sleepless nights as they were constantly unleashing terror.
“The Nasarawa Police Command is happy that these bandits, who have been terrorising residents of the state, have finally been arrested by our gallant officers. We will continue to do everything within our powers until the state becomes completely free from all forms of insecurity,” he said.
Nansel appealed to members of the public to always assist the police with useful information that would help them serve the people better.
