The Police Intelligence Response Team has arrested two suspects for the kidnap of a medical doctor, Audu Benedict, his son and one of his associates in Katsina-ala Local Government Area of Benue State
The victims were kidnapped and killed while travelling from Taraba State to Abuja on March 10, 2019.
The suspects, according to a statement by the Police Force spokesman, Frank Mba, include Henry Terkula Gwa, 25 years from Donga LGA and Terhile Tsavbe, 30 years from Gawa village, Katsina-ala LGA, all from Benue State.
They were arrested early this month following intense search for the victims and manhunt for the perpetrators by the Police team.
“Investigations revealed that the criminal gang collected 7.5million naira as ransom from the families of the victims as condition for their release.
“The suspects forced the late Dr Audu Benedict to issue them a cheque of N500,000.00 which they cashed in a commercial bank in Gboko town, Benue State. Subsequently, the suspects killed the 3 victims and had them buried in a shallow grave at Gawa in Katsina-ala LGA of Benue State.
“While effort is being intensified to arrest other suspects still at large, the police team is on the verge of exhuming the remains of the slain victims,” the statement noted.
In a similar development, the Police have also arrested 25 other criminal suspects for their involvements in varying cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and illegal possession of prohibited firearms, currently under investigations.
The suspects are said to be members of high-profile criminal gangs terrorizing communities and major highways of the North-Central and North-West States of the country.
Exhibits recovered from the suspects include 6 AK47 rifles, 3 locally fabricated pump action guns, 1 locally fabricated pistol, 2 dane guns, 55 rounds of AK47 ammunition, 4 empty magazines, 1 laptop computer and 1 Toyota Corolla Car with REG No. MKD 13 RC.
All the suspects will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigations, the Police spokesman added.
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