Four Nasarawa Varsity Female Students Kidnapped in Keffi

Police parade kidnappers in Sokoto, Kogi

Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia,  Onuminya Innocent in Sokoto and Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Four female students of the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) were reportedly kidnapped on Monday night by gunmen in Keffi town.

However, the Sokoto State Police Command yesterday paraded six suspected kidnappers and three electric cable vandals. Similarly, Kogi State Police Command  paraded three suspected kidnappers, two armed robbery, one car snatcher, and three other criminal suspects.

An eyewitness told THISDAY that the kidnap of the students took place at about 10:30 p.m. of that fateful Monday night at Angwan Ka’are community of Keffi, the headquarters of Keffi Local Government Area in Nasarawa State.

The eyewitness gave names of the kidnapped Students to include: Rahila Hanya – SLT 100 Level; Josephine Gershon – Computer Science 100 Level; Rosemary Samuel – Business Administration 100 Level and Goodness Samuel – Geography 100 Level.

However, when contacted at the time of filing this report, the NSUK Head of Information and Protocol Officer, Mr. Abraham Ekpo, said that there has not been official information lodged to the institution in respect to the incident.

“The Student Union Government (SUG) is yet to report the incident to the vice chancellor. Until we get an official report from the SUG or from the police, we cannot make any statement.

“So we heard about the incident just as you also heard. But, there is no official communication to us, until we get a report from the SUG, I don’t have any official statement for now,” Ekpo said.

However, in a statement, the Nasarawa State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP. Ramhan Nansel, confirmed the incident that “the command was aware of the kidnap.”

Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Police Command yesterday paraded six suspected kidnappers and three electric cable vandals. Similarly, Kogi State Police Command  paraded three suspected kidnappers, two armed robbery, one car snatcher, and three other criminal suspects.

Speaking at the police headquarters in Sokoto, the state Commissioner of Police, Ali Hayattu Kaigama, said some  suspected bandits invaded Yarabba and Salah villages and kidnapped four persons and injured one.

He further stated that on receipt of the report, he swung into action by   mobilising and deploying the Command tactical teams led by SP Salisu Garba, who is in charge of anti-kidnapping, for rescue operation.

The state police boss maintained that the team went to the scene from where they traced the footprints of hoodlums and victims towards Yabo, Sanyinna and Silame forest.

He explained that at the process of the operation, the team rescued six victims and arrested three suspects namely:  Aliyu Abubakar, Abdullahi Umar, and Ayuba Magaji, while AK-49 rifle with two magazines loaded with 15 live ammunition, a locally fabricated pistol with 12 rounds of live ammunition, a Kasea motorcycle, and nine phones suspected to belong to kidnapped victims were recovered from the suspects.

Kaigama also said the operatives from State Criminal Intelligence Department (SCID) of the Command arrested one Dauda Ahamad, a renowned bandit and kidnapper, who has been terrorising Runjin Sambo, Gidan Igwai, Gidan Dare and Kwalkwala areas in the Sokoto metropolis.

He explained that the suspect was arrested as a result of intelligence shared by a resident.

The state police boss said: “As a process of recovering arms from the suspect in the bush, his gang members attacked the team of police to enable him escape, but unfortunately, he was shot and later died in the hospital. His gang members, Abubakar Isah , Samaila Aliyu , Abubakar Aminu’ were also arrested.”

In another development, he said the police from Bodinga division, on intelligence reports, arrested one Isah  Abubakar from Shinaka village, whom has been terrorizing who has been terrorising Goronyo, Wurno, Wamakko and Bodinga LGAs, in possession of one fabricated revolver gun,

 On another note, the police commissioner stated that some electric cable vandals were intercepted by the police patrol team on Birnin Kebbi road with a vehicle loaded with 12 conductor aluminum wires suspected to have been  vandalised and stolen from electrical poles. During investigation, the suspects offered the police the sum of N800,000 as bribe to enable them escape arrest.

Upon investigation, they confessed to have stolen the wires from electric poles located on Sanyinna road in Tambuwal LGA of the state. They also confessed to previously vandalised and stole conductor aluminum wires at Sifawa, Bodinga LGA, Shagari LGA and Wamakko LGA  worth N17,189,750,  and sold same to Ibrahim Abdullahi Danfata and Bello Sani Zamzam.

Kaigama called for collaborative efforts among the people to provide intelligence information to the police to enable them track criminals in their area.

He further said upon the conclusion of investigation the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution.

Meanwhile, Kogi State Police Command has paraded three suspected kidnappers, two armed robbery, one car snatcher, and three other criminal suspects.

While addressing journalists in Lokoja yesterday, the state Police Commissioner, Bethrand Onuoha, stated that the Command has continued to adopt common problem-solving strategies for effective result on community policing,  which he said has improved public confidence on service delivery.

Onuoha explained that due to support and cooperation of the people of Kogi State, the Police Command has recorded major success in crime prevention and public safety.

The state police boss pointed out that following a tip-off by United Onicha Igo Development Association in Ofu Local Government Area of the state, the police rounded up and arrested Thank God Joseph and Monday Mathew.

Similarly, the Command has also arrested Haruna Adamu and Yakubu Mohammed. It was further revealed that the deceased, who was a commercial motorcyclist from Ayetoro, conveyed a passenger to Kabba to use the opportunity to visit his friend, Haruna Adamu.

“While he was in Adamu shop, he met other suspects where he had a handshake with them. Immediately, the suspect raised a fake alarm that the deceased took their manhood, which attracted the mob to lynch the deceased and burn him to death. The suspects confess to the crime,” he stated.

The Police Command has also recovered three cars including one Peugeot 406 blue, with registration No: RBC 856 TH Abuja, and Chassis No: UF: 38ERFRE81075091.

“On August 20, 2023, we acted on information that a suspected car snatcher, who specialised in robbing innocent and law-abiding citizens of their cars, was sighted trying to sell a car.

“Immediately, the operatives swung into action and arrested the suspect, and recovered the exhibits,” the CP said.