The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested eight suspects over the kidnap and murder of 93-year-old Mr Defwan Dariye, father of former Plateau State Governor Mr Joshua Dariye.
The Force spokesman, CP Frank Mba, who addressed the media in Abuja on Wednesday, said the kidnappers killed their victim despite receiving a ransom of N10m.
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“Within the last 30 days, the police were able to make tremendous progress that led to the arrest of the eight key suspects that played major roles in the kidnap and murder of the ex-governor’s father.
“All the suspects, except very few of them, were from the same village in Bokkos Local Government Area with the murdered victim.
“This perhaps explained why they took the very wicked and costly decision of murdering the old man,” he said, adding that it would be difficult for outsiders to perpetrate crime in a community without collaborators within.
He said the crime was initiated by the eldest suspect, who identified the victim, recruited men that executed the operations and handled the distribution of the ransom.
Mba said three suspects were also arrested on Aug. 28 in a border community between Nasarawa and Taraba after months of intensive monitoring.
He said the suspects were arrested over unlawful procurement, distribution and selling of weapons to end-users who were largely criminals, kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and armed robbers.
According to him, the suspects were arrested after operatives of the Intelligence Response Team mounted a sting operation that was intelligence driven and clinically executed.
Mba said a total of 26 AK47 magazines, one AK49 riffle and its magazines, as well as 14 live ammunition for AK47 riffle, were recovered from the suspects.
He said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigation.
