Police Kill Kidnap Suspect, Rescue 10 Victims In Benue

Benue State police command has killed a suspected kidnapper and arrested three others after a gun battle and rescued 10 kidnapped victims, including a nine-month-old baby, and a medical doctor with Federal Medical Centre in Makurdi who was taken hostage alongside his brother and driver.

The commissioner of Police, Okoro Julius Alawari disclosed that five suspects had been arrested in Otukpo local government area in connection with the murder of one Babatunde Moses.

According to him, “on 20/05/2023 at about 1345hrs information was received at Otukpo Police Division that an unknown corpse was seen at Edikwu river bank with internal organs removed and a team of detectives were deployed to the area for investigation

He said during investigation, it was revealed that the lifeless body was one Babatunde Moses aged 29 years who was last seen sitting with his friends in a burial ceremony.

“Suspects arrested in connection with the murder include; Idoko Omoru, Eze Emmanuel, Obande Emmanuel, Ameh Peter, and Sunday. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the mystery behind the death and removal of internal organs”

Alawari who disclosed this to newsmen at the Command headquarters in Makurdi where the suspects were paraded explained that on the 13/05/2023 at about 1900 hours, information was received that Dr. Etito Obadiah, a medical doctor with FMC Makurdi was kidnapped at Judges Quarters and his Kidnappers had started negotiation for ransom of N30 million.

According to him, during investigation, a team of “Operation Zenda JTF” trailed the Kidnappers to their hideout at Gaya Village, Utange council ward in Katsina Ala local government area and on sighting the police, the kidnappers engaged them in a gun duel which claimed the life of one of the kidnappers.

He said three suspects were arrested while others escaped into a nearby bush with bullet wounds. Ten kidnap victims including the doctor were rescued unhurt, through intelligence gathering without ransom.

He said, “Items recovered from the suspects includes, one locally fabricated AK47 rifle with 10 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, two single barrel rifles, one locally made barrette pistol loaded with three rounds of .9mm live ammunition and two military uniforms, adding that Investigation is ongoing.

In another development, the CP said the police have foiled a kidnap attempt on passengers from Kaduna to Enugu at Daudu, community in Benue State.

According to him, “on 21/5/2023 at about 1200hrs, while Police teams were on patrol along Makurdi-Lafia road, information was received that some gun men had accosted a vehicle conveying passengers from Kaduna to Enugu at Daudu with intent to move these passengers to an unknown destination and request for ransom.

He said, “the Police swiftly moved to the scene, and on sighting the Police, the suspects abandoned their victims, took to their heels, and abandoned a bag containing military camouflage uniforms and wooden guns, saying victims have since been released to continue with their journey while investigation is ongoing to arrest suspects at large.

In an interview with our correspondent, the doctor said he was kidnapped with his driver and brother at Zaki-Biam on their way to Taraba State to attend to a patient.

“We were going to Taraba and were accosted by two people with AK-47 at Zaki-Biam before I could say anything, three came out and another five came bundled up my driver, blind folded us and took us inside the forest. We didn’t know where we were and they asked for N40 million, I told them what I can afford could be N5 million and they started beating me,” he said.