The Benue State Police Command has arrested a spiritualist and 11 suspected kidnappers in connection with the abduction of Commissioner for Housing/Urban Development, Ekpe Ogbu, and others.
Ogbu and four others, including his driver, an aide, a Catholic priest and one other were abducted within the senatorial district in December, 2022.
Spokesperson of the command, Catherine Anene, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Monday, January 9, 2023, said the spiritualist, Mohammed Usman Omachoko, specialized in preparing protection charms for kidnappers.
Anene stated that the State Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, had ordered the deployment of tactical teams to the southern part of the state to trail the kidnap syndicates grouping in the area.
“As a result of this deployment, men of Operation Zenda JTF have trailed and arrested 12 people in connection with the case of kidnap that happened on December 4, 2022, involving the Commissioner for Housing/ Urban Development, Hon. Anthony Ogbu,” the statement read.
“One Mohammed Omachoko, who specialises in preparing protection charms for kidnappers, David Ejembi, Aondongu Akighir AKA “Too Proud” and Teryima Peter were arrested while they were on their way to purchase guns for the group.
“Further investigation led to the arrest of nine other gang members, two locally made Baretta pistol loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition were recovered from them. Suspects confessed to the crime,” the statement added.
The spokesperson said that the CP urged people of the state to provide useful information to the police to enable them fish out hoodlums within their community.