By Amos Aar
THE new Benue State Police Commissioner, Mr Okoro Alawari, who assumed duty on May 2, 2023, has hit the ground running with the rescue of the Chief Medical Director of Hope Clinic, Makurdi and staff of Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Dr Obadiah Etito, and nine (9) others from a kidnappers’ den at Gaya, Katsina-Ala local government area of Benue State.
CP Alawari who briefed journalists Monday at the Benue State Police Command headquarters, Makurdi during the parade of different criminal suspects arrested during various operations said Dr Etito was kidnapped on May 13, 2023 while leaving his Judges Quarters’ residence for his place of work at Apir and the nine others were kidnapped at different locations and times.
However, the victim, Dr Etito, told journalists during an interview that he was not kidnapped in Makurdi contrary to what the police commissioner had said. According to him, he was abducted in Ukum local government on his way to Taraba State.
“On the 9th in the morning, I didn’t even tell my wife, a friend of mine I was going to see, called me in the night. So, my boys came and picked me up around 8:30 am, we were going to Takum in Taraba State so that I would come back to office because I got three patient appointments.
“When we got to Zaki-Biam, we didn’t know the road again and somebody was just trying to direct us. But as we just turned, the next thing we saw was a machine with three boys, each of them with AK47 and three others came, all of them with Ak47. Before we would know, five others came with Ak47. After they took my wallet, phone and ID card, they blindfolded us and ordered us to enter into the car. They drove for about 15-20 kilometers to an unknown place where they kept us for 10 days and they were beating me seriously, demanding for a ransom of N30 million from my wife,” Etito narrated his ordeal.
CP Lawari revealed that following intelligence, operatives of Operation Zenda, a joint Task Force, stormed the kidnappers’ den where they were engaged in a fierce gun duel during which one unidentified member of the gang was gunned down, three others arrested while other members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds and all of the ten victims were rescued unhurt.
Items recovered from the kidnappers included one locally fabricated AK-47 riffle with 10 rounds of live 7.62×39mm ammunition; two single barrel rifles; one locally fabricated Barrette Pistol with three rounds of live .9mm ammunition; two military uniforms; two Itel GSM phones and assorted criminal charms.
Speaking with journalists, one of the suspects, MS Matina Igba aged 30, claimed that she was not one of the kidnapers but rather their victim who was abducted earlier and forcefully turned into their sex slave. She added that her aunty paid forty thousand naira (N40,000) ransom but her captors insisted that a higher amount be paid before she would be released.
“I came to do farm work in my Aunty’s place at Udejõv, Shitile in Katsina-Ala local government. Those people came and kidnapped me in my Aunty’s house, leaving her alone. They went and kept me in their den. When police came for arrest, they said I was the kidnapers’ wife. But I told them that those people kidnapped me and they have been sleeping with me and torturing me. My Aunty brought N40,000 but they said she must bring additional money or else they would not release me.
But CSP Justin Gberindyer who led a crack team of of Operation Zenda that rescued Dr Etito and 9 others said Matina has been taking things to the kidnapers including “all other provisions, food, drinks and all those necessary that could make them feel comfortable in that particular hideout. So, during our classified intelligence analysis, we were able to get her and opted taking the operatives to the hideout”.
Gberindyer also revealed that when the operatives stormed the den, they arrested Msuurhima Tertile who was cooking for the victims while Solomon Vihiga, a syndicate kidnapper, was arrested through intelligence gathering.
In a related development, the Commissioner of Police, CP Okoro Alawari, told Journalists that under his watch, the police had also averted a kidnap attempt at Daudu town, close to Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on May 21,2023. He said the victims were en route to Enugu state and all of them were packed from a vehicle that was conveying them.
“On 21/5/2023 at about 1200hrs, while Police teams were on patrol along Makurdi-Lafia road, information was received that some gun men had accosted a vehicle conveying passengers to Enugu at Daudu with intent to move these passengers to an unknown destination and request for ransom. The Police swiftly moved to the scene. On sighting the Police, suspects abandoned their victims and took to their heels. They also abandoned a bag containing military camouflage uniforms and wooden guns. Victims have since been released to continue with their journey while investigation is ongoing to arrest suspects at large”, Alawari said.
The Police Commissioner also told Journalists during his maiden briefing tht the Command has been able to carry out other operations that have yielded results within the short time that he has been deployed to Benue.
He said four (4) suspected killers of one Babatunde Moses were nabbed on May 20, 2023 in Otukpo local government area of Benue State.
“On 20/05/2023 at about 1345hrs information was received at Otukpo Police Division that an unknown corpse was seen at Edikwu river bank with internal organs removed. A team of detectives were deployed to the area for investigation. During investigation, it was revealed that the lifeless body was one Babatunde Moses aged 29years who was last seen sitting with his friends in a burial ceremony.
“The following suspects have been arrested in connection with the case; Idoko Omoru, Eze Emmanuel, Obande Emmanuel, Ameh Peter, and Sunday. Investigation is ongoing to unravel the mystery behind the death and removal of internal organs”, Alawari stated.
He said investigation into various crimes was ongoing.
CP Okoro Alawari said, in line with his findings, he has re-strategized and drawn a plan to rid Benue state of criminality and that was why he invited Journalists to join him in the fight and assured of his commitment to make Benue people sleep with their eyes closed.
The Police Commissioner who thanked Journalists for their continued cooperation with the police urged them to accord him the same cooperation they gave his predecessors so that peace would be achieved in Benue State.
