By Henry Ibya, Makurdi
Benue Police Command has disclosed that it has arrested three suspected kidnappers, Michael Orinya aged 19, Ebia Omirigwe 25 and Eje Mariam 21 years; all of various addresses in Otukpo, Benue State.
Police Commissioner in charge of Benue State, Hassan Yabanet who made the disclosure, Tuesday, during his maiden press briefing held at the police headquarters in Makurdi, said his men on May 20 received information about kidnappers’ hideout located at Welfare Quarters Makurdi, explaining that a team of police detectives were detailed to the area to trail and arrest the suspects.
He said upon arrival of the police at the scene, the kidnappers engaged their personnel in a gun duel but were overpowered by the police superior firepower that led to the arrest of the suspects now in police net.
CP Yabanet, during the briefing further informed journalists that one of the suspects sustained a gunshot injury and was rushed to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH Makurdi, where he was confirmed dead and corpse deposited at the morgue.
He said items recovered from the criminals at the scene include; one AK-47 riffle loaded with fifteen rounds of live ammunition, seven point of sale, POS machines and 150 ATM cards of different banks, adding that investigation into the case is ongoing as the suspects would soon be charged to court.
The Benue CP equally revealed that upon assumption of office, he toured parts of the state with the aim to have direct assessment of the security situation in the state, attesting that the tour has brought reforms that are already yielding positive results.