Police Arrest Suspected Kidnapper Of Plateau Catholic Priests

The Ogun State Police Command has apprehended a suspected kidnapper for allegedly participating in the abduction of two Rev Fathers for ransom in Pankshin, Plateau State, on February 1, 2024.

The spokesperson for the command, Omolola Odutola, disclosed this on Tuesday.

She said that the suspect was nabbed on Monday by police operatives in the Ago-Iwoye area of the state.

Naija News understands that two Catholic priests, Father Kenneth Kanwa and Father Jude Nwachukwu, were reportedly abducted from St. Vincent de Paul Fier Parish in the Diocese of Pankshin in Plateau State.

The alleged abductors, who were later discovered to be members of the same parish, reportedly demanded N25m ransom from family and other church members to secure the priests’ freedom.

However, after a week of the abduction, the Plateau State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Polycarp Lubo, announced that the priests had been released.

Speaking on the arrest in an interview with Punch on Tuesday, Odutola explained that one of the suspects and also a member of the church, Yaro, claimed that he fled Pankshin over fear that members of the community might attack him after they discovered that he was involved in the abduction of the two priests.

She said, “At about 4:25pm on Monday, we received intelligence that a kidnapping suspect, Christopher Yaro, had escaped to Ijebu-Ode after he was alleged to have conspired with another member of the church and five other men to kidnap the two Rev. Fathers in the Pankshin area of Plateau State.

“The suspects were with four K.2 rifles when they carried out the crime. Yaro has been arrested. Further information will be made available to the public as soon as the investigation is completed.”