A Jos-based pastor, Albarka Sukuya, has been arrested by operatives of the Plateau State Police Command for orchestrating his own kidnap and demanding ransom from members of his congregation.
The command’s spokesman, Alfred Alabo, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
The pastor’s arrest came after church members paid a ransom of N600,000 to secure his release. The police were able to arrest Sukuya and his accomplices following intelligence reports
Alabo said Pastor Sukuya who allegedly kidnapped himself several times and collected ransom from members of his congregation was arrested by the police in November 2022.
This, the police spokesperson said was a sequel to the spurious kidnaps plotted by the Pastor and his accomplices on Nov. 14 and Nov. 15, 2022, during which he collected N400,000 and N200,000, paid by his sympathisers as a ransom for his release.
The statement read, “The Plateau State Police Command has again uncovered the nefarious act of one pastor Albarka Bitrus Sukuya ‘m’ of Jenta Apata, Jos who on several occasions staged his kidnap with his cohorts and receive ransom from sympathizing members of his congregation.
“Sequel to his spurious kidnaps of 14/11/2022 and 30/11/2022 where the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N400,000) and Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000) was respectively paid by his sympathizers as a ransom for his release, the incidents triggered suspicion.
“Through credible intelligence, the clergyman was invited by the DPO Nassarawa Gwong Police Station, CSP Musa Hassan, and investigation commenced immediately.
“In the course of the investigation, it was established that the suspect has been conspiring with his gang to stage his kidnap and fraudulently collect a ransom.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to having committed the crime and mentioned the following persons as his accomplices : (1) Baruk Mailale, (2) Nathaniel Bitrus both males of Yelwan Zangam village of Jos-north and (3) Aye (surname yet to be known) ‘male of Jalingo, Taraba State.”
“The suspect further disclosed that on 04/01/2023, he set ablaze two motor vehicles ( a Mercedes Benz and a Toyota) and a bicycle parked at ECWA Bishara 3 Jenta Apata premises belonging to his colleagues who he alleged one of them hates him, referring to his senior pastor.
“However, police operatives of Nassarawa Gwong Division, Jos-north LGA arrested two (2) of the suspects namely, Baruk Mailale and Nathaniel Bitrus while effort is been intensified to arrest Aye, the third suspect”
The police spokesperson called on members of the public to be watchful and ensure timely reports of any suspicious happenings around them to relevant security agencies for prompt response.
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