The Benue State Police Command has disclosed that it foiled an attempted kidnap on the Bursar of the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, identified as Emmanuel Timothy, and also arrested a suspected kidnap kingpin, Paul Terwase Agbem, and his second in command, Mson Yaasa.
The suspects were alleged to specialize in organizing high-profile kidnappings of politicians and wealthy personalities across the country especially Abuja and Makurdi.
The Command Public Relations Officer, Catherine Anene who confirmed this feat, said the suspects were arrested on Saturday, 22 May 2021, after operatives invaded their hideout in Makurdi, following intelligence gathering.
Through a statement on Tuesday, Anene said the suspects and other gang members who managed to escape arrest had assembled at the Ankpa Quarters in Makurdi to perfect plans to abduct the victim at the time they were bursted.
“Following information about the regrouping of a kidnap gang in Makurdi, a team of police officers were deployed to trail and arrest the suspects,” he said.
“On 22/05/2021, at about 1200hrs, these suspects had assembled at Ankpa Quarters, Makurdi, and perfected plans to carry out their nefarious act when the operatives invaded their hideout and arrested the kingpin, one Paul Terwase Agbem also known as Top of Gwarimpa and one Mson Yaasa of Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area.
The spokesman said that investigation into the matter had been launched and the remaining suspects confessed to having executed plans on the same day to kidnap a staff of the Joseph Sawuan Tarka University of Agriculture, Makurdi who allegedly refused to pay him money for the contract he executed in the school.
“Intensive efforts have been put in place to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice,” Anene added.
