The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested six suspects in two separate cases involving an alleged kidnapping plot and the suspected cult-related killing of a 26-year-old man in Lafia.
Four suspects were arrested over an alleged plan to kidnap a man in Obi Local Government Area, collect ransom and later kill him.
The suspects were identified as Yahaya Musa, Likita Adamu, Riga Abdullahi and Saidu Alhaji Gari, all from Adudu District.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, said the arrests followed credible intelligence received by operatives of the State Intelligence Department in Lafia.
According to the police, the suspects allegedly targeted Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, also known as Alhaji Na’iye.
Nansel said the security operatives uncovered the plan before it could be carried out. Two of the suspects were arrested on September 19, while the other two were apprehended on September 22 and 23.
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Preliminary interrogation reportedly revealed that the suspects allegedly intended to abduct the victim, demand ransom and subsequently kill him.
The four suspects have been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Lafia, where investigations are ongoing.
In a separate incident, police also arrested two suspects over the suspected cult-related killing of a 26-year-old man in Lafia.
The incident reportedly occurred around 6:00 a.m. on September 24 after the Divisional Police Officer of Ombi 1 Division received information about a young man lying in a pool of blood behind the Eji-World area.
Police officers who arrived at the scene found the victim, identified as Venus, an indigene of Benue State.
He was taken to the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia, where he was confirmed dead.
Preliminary findings suggested that the attackers may have been looking for the victim’s friend, Joseph Friday Oluyemi, who lives on Maisoti Street in Lafia.
Oluyemi reportedly told investigators that he had previously received threats from individuals suspected to belong to a cult group.
Following the investigation, police arrested Friday Joshua and ThankGod Auta Vincent in connection with the incident.
The police said efforts were ongoing to arrest other individuals suspected to have participated in the killing.
The deceased’s body has been deposited at the hospital mortuary pending an autopsy to support the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Shetima Jauro Muhammad, ordered a thorough investigation into both cases and directed that anyone found responsible should face prosecution according to the law.
The command also urged residents to remain alert and report suspicious persons, movements and activities to the police.
Police said information from members of the public would remain important in preventing kidnapping, cult-related violence and other criminal activities across Nasarawa State.
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