Police arrest killers of UNIJOS lecturer, three other kidnappers

Men of the Plateau State Police Command have apprehended three suspects believed to have killed a senior lecturer with the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Dr. Nandi Drenkat and kidnapped his six years old daughter.

Tribune Online reports that the command also arrested another three kidnappers who shot Rev Canon Bayo James Femourune and two other members of his family.

Addressing newsmen in Jos, the State Commissioner of Police, Edward Chuka Egbuka said the operatives of DSS in Plateau State were able to track down three other members of this notorious gang of kidnappers who kidnapped the university don, adding that the suspects initially escaped with bullet wounds following a gun battle with the Police.

He added on interrogation by the DSS operatives, the suspects confessed to being part of the gang that murdered the lecturer and kidnapped his daughter and took the operatives to their hideouts, where two firearms, AK 47 rifle with two rounds of ammunition and a baretta pistol with seven rounds of ammunition were recovered.

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“Interestingly, this Baretta pistol was stolen from late Sergeant Jonathan Danladi of Laranto Division who had an encounter with this same dreaded gang of kidnappers in the early hours of 4th May 2020 at ECWA base Jos. The Police Sergeant, in a bid to rescue an eighteen-year-old female victim of this gang, was shot dead and his baretta pistol stolen.

“The same gang killed a DSS personnel on 30th December 2017, along Dong-miango/Rukuba road in Jos North LGA. The suspects have confessed to several other kidnappings, armed robberies and killings within Jos metropolis and Bassa LGA of the state from 2017 to date. The Command in collaboration with other security agencies have launched an aggressive manhunt for other members of the gang still at large.”

CP Egbuka also disclosed that the command also arrested two suspected armed robbers who invaded the residence of one Rev Canon Bayo James Femourune of Agape Mission, Messiah College, Gana Ropp Village in Barkin-Ladi LGA, adding that in their bid to rob the victim and his family, shot him on the head and leg.

He also said the wife was shot at her back while their son was shot in the leg and a guest of the family was also shot in the leg, adding that the hoodlums escaped before the arrival of the Police and other security agencies,

He said while acting on a tip-off, Police operatives at Barkin-Ladi arrested two of the suspects while one of the suspects has been identified by the victims.

On the case of impersonation, the state Commissioner of Police further pointed out that the operatives of sector 6 Operation Safe Havens also arrested one John Nanzing Ladong of Gero area in Jos South LGA of Plateau State dressed in full military desert camouflage uniform with a captain rank driving an Army green coloured Peugeot model 206 vehicle who was later transferred to Area Command Bukuru.

He said upon interrogation, it was established that the suspect was not a military personnel while further investigation and search conducted led to the recovery of one forged NAF ID card bearing Flying Officer JJ Nanzing, two machetes, one jack knife, six leave pass of Nigeria Army, twelve pieces of Nigeria Army uniforms.

Other items recovered from the impersonator include three pairs of Nigeria Air Force uniforms, one Nigeria Navy trouser, one Nigeria Immigration service camouflage trouser, two pears of military boots among others.