The Taraba State Police Command says it arrested thirteen suspected bandits and kidnappers on their watchlist for terrorizing residents of Jalingo, Yorro, Lau, and Zing local government areas of the state.
This was disclosed by the state commissioner of Police Joseph Eribo while parading the suspects and their exhibits at the police headquarters in Jalingo, the state capital on Wednesday.
The arrest follows a public outcry over the nefarious activities of the hoodlums which according to the police has assumed an alarming dimension.
According to the police, the bandits use the adjoining mountains as a shield and any attempt to rescue victims or attack the bandits leads to collateral damage, hence its decision to deploy all its operational assets to deal with the emerging trend.
After a collaboration by the police and other sister security agencies, vigilante officers, and professional hunters, thirteen of the bandits were arrested in different parts of the state. Over N8m cash ransom was rejected as a bribe, and five AK-47 rifles and five rounds of live ammunition were recovered with five kidnap victims rescued.
Three electricity vandals were also arrested for penetrating and vandalizing the electricity transformer of the police headquarters as well as vandalizing that of Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) in the Lau Local Government Area of the state.
The bandits and kidnappers in the course of interrogation say they usually collaborate with the electricity vandals to vandalize electricity transformers which gives them easy access to kidnap or kill in communities experiencing power outages, especially at night.
The police also arrested an armed robbery suspect who stole a vehicle from a victim but was later recovered by the police.
Some of the bandits who allegedly masterminded the kidnap of a traditional ruler, a pastor, and an imam as well as a kidnapper who collected over N8m ransom among others confessed to having committed the crime.
The police say all the suspects will be charged to court in line with the state’s anti-kidnapping law and will ensure that justice is served.
While reiterating that the command will always remain resolute in protecting the lives and property of residents, the police commissioner appreciated the state Governor, Agbu Kefas, for his unflinching support to security agencies to enthrone a peaceful, safe, secured, and economically viable state.
