By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
The Taraba State police command has confirmed the arrest of 28 suspects for various crimes, including the abduction of varsity students in the state.
State Police Commissioner CP. David Iloyanomon disclosed this during a press briefing in Jalingo on Thursday. He also revealed that the command is searching for the former Chairman of Takum Local Government Area, Mr. Shiban Tikari, in connection with the 2017 murder of a member of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Hosea Ibi. Tikari is currently on the run.
Two suspects in Ibi’s murder were sentenced to life imprisonment last month for their involvement in the kidnapping and subsequent murder of the legislator. All suspects confessed that Tikari was the one who ordered the kidnapping and murder, prompting the judge to request his arrest.
Iloyanomon disclosed that the command has also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, as well as a tricycle, charms, 102 cows, a motorcycle, and other items.
He said, “There is no doubt that the Police Command, leveraging the support and cooperation of security agencies in the state and the good people of Taraba State, have worked assiduously to fight head-on all forms of criminality with remarkable achievements. Some of them are presented below.”
The commissioner then proceeded to detail some of the arrests made, including:
- Abdulkarim Ibrahim: Arrested in Perogal Tunga village, Sardauna LGA, for terrorizing villages in the local government. He confessed to involvement in several kidnappings.
- Garba Yahaya and Abdullahi Usman Mohammed: Arrested in Gassol LGA for their involvement in a series of kidnappings and collecting ransom money.
- Laulo Alhaji Adamu: A notorious kidnapper arrested in Bamanda Village, Lau LGA, for terrorizing Jimlari and Marraraban Kunini villages. He has confessed to several kidnappings.
Other criminal suspects were arrested for various crimes, including culpable homicide, armed robbery, illegal possession of arms, cyber crimes, banditry, criminal conspiracy, theft, and cattle rustling.
Iloyanomon also highlighted an incident where officers of the command turned down a bribe of ₦8,000,000 while on patrol. The Inspector General of Police commended these officers for their professionalism and urged others to emulate them.
The commissioner concluded by thanking the Governor of Taraba State for his commitment to combating crime and supporting security agencies in ensuring peace and security in the state. He reaffirmed the Taraba State Police Command’s commitment to upholding law and order.