Residents of Nepa community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State captured a suspected kidnapper who had collected a ransom of N1.5 million from the families of his victims. The incident took place in Jos, the capital of Plateau State, and has drawn significant attention from both locals and law enforcement.
According to the Plateau State Police Command, the suspect is currently under investigation by the anti-kidnapping unit.
DSP Alabor Alfred, the police spokesperson, confirmed the arrest and the ongoing investigation, saying, “The suspect is being thoroughly investigated to determine the full extent of his criminal activities.”
A vigilante member from the Nepa community, who preferred to remain anonymous, provided further details about the incident. He explained that after the kidnapper was caught by local residents, he was immediately handed over to the vigilante group in the area, who then transferred him to the Laranto Police Station.
The vigilante narrated the events leading to the suspect’s capture, saying, “The kidnapper had abducted two young children, one four years old and the other five. After receiving the ransom of N1.5 million, he didn’t release them right away. The following day, he returned to an abandoned building where he was holding the children. Some people passing by heard the kids crying and rushed towards the building. When they got there, the kidnapper, who was with the children, tried to escape by jumping out of a window.”
However, the community quickly reacted. As the vigilante described, “People screamed ‘Kidnapper!’ and men and women from the community came out in large numbers. They managed to catch him as he tried to flee.”
After his capture, the suspect was handed over to the community’s vigilante group, who then took him to the Laranto Police Station. Along with the suspect, the vigilantes also turned over N1,492,000 of the ransom money that had already been collected from the parents of the kidnapped children.