The Police in Kogi state have smashed a kidnap and robbery syndicate said to have been terrorising residents of the state and its environs.
Parading five members of the gang, said to be operating on the LokojaOkene Road in the state, yesterday in Lokoja, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the state, CP Ali Janga, said the suspects include those that kidnapped a traditional ruler from Jakura, Usman Adoga, and killed his son in the process as well as abducted a Reverend Father, Leo Micheal, last month.
The Police boss said the suspects were arrested based on intelligent report following a tip-off, adding that one of the suspects, Ibrahim Musa, who was part of the gang which abducted the Rev Father at Irepeni Village along Lokoja -Okene Road and Chief of Jakura, had given useful information to the Police on their activities.
Janga, who said that the command was on the trail of other suspects connected with that incidents, disclosed that the Police recovered N240,000 from the suspect.
While appealing to members of the public to always avail the command information that could lead to the arrest of criminals, he N1.1 million was paid as ransom to the gang members before the Chief of Jakura was released, saying that the command would arraign the suspects in the law court immediately they complete their investigation.
Speaking to journalists, Musa confessed that he took part in the kidnapping operation, claiming, however, that another member of the gang simply identified as, Shagari, shot and killed the son of the chief of Jakura in one of their operations on that axis.
Recounting his ordeal in the hands of the gang, the chief of Jakura, said he was dragged to an unknown place in the bush where he spent five days before he was released and during the kidnapping he lost his son.