The Plateau State Police Command, in a press conference on Thursday, paraded several suspects who have been apprehended for various crimes, including an 80-year-old man, identified as Peter Ashom, for allegedly attempting to defile an eleven-year-old girl in Jos.

The Command also paraded one Elijah Anthony and his mother for allegedly kidnapping and killing a five-year-old boy, Dawon Pam, in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of the state.

The Police also paraded two women, a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law, for being in possession of seven bags of cannabis in Bokkos LGA of the state.

Parading the suspects alongside 34 others for different crimes ranging from culpable homicide, armed robbery, among others, Commissioner of Police, CP, Okoro Alawari, said the Command has succeeded in putting an end to the activities of some criminal minded individuals.

Alawari said, “On the 9th October, 2023, we received information that one Peter Ashom, an 80 year old man, lured an eleven year old girl into his room and attempted to have carnal knowledge of her under the pretense of sending her on errands anytime she goes to sell groundnuts.

“He threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

“The case is still under investigation and will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.”

He added, “On 13th October, 2023, at about 09:00 hours, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Jos, received a phone call that one Dawon Pam, five years old, is missing and that all search throughout the night proved abortive.

“But in the morning of 14th October, 2023, at about 05:40 hours, a pair of shoes belonging to the victim was found close to a handwritten note stating that if the father wants his child, he should give N5 million and that he should not call them but he should send a text message through aa phone number. The below GSM phone number was attached: 08186135490.

“Upon receipt of the report, a team of Police operatives led by SP Okala Ugbede swung into action and was able to trace the kidnappers on 23rd October, 2023, and arrested one of the culprits, Elijah Anthony, aged 17 years, of same address.

“Upon interrogation, he admitted and confessed to have conspired with one aka Malic of no fixed address and kidnapped the victim from his father’s compound to an uncompleted building in the community where they kept him and tied his mouth with elastic dural cloth to stop him from shouting.

“He also confessed that after collecting the sum of N400,000 from the victim’s parents, his accomplice, the said Malic who is now at large, strangled the victim, while he held his hands and legs.

“Thereafter, they took the body and dumped it in a swampy place close to the uncompleted building.”

“Based on the confession, a team of operatives visited the

scene, the corpse was recovered and taken to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital for confirmation and necessary action after which it was released to the parents for burial.

“Investigation is still ongoing with a view to arresting the fleeing suspect and any other accomplice”, he assured.

Also paraded were two women suspected to be cannabis dealers.

According to the CP, “On 25th October, 2023, at about 05:30 hours, SWAT operatives of the Command led by the DPO Bokkos Division, raided the residential premises of one Gabriel Dare of Kungul village, Richa District, Bokkos where the following suspects, one Mary Gabriel and one Briskilla Dare both of same address were arrested.

“The following items were found in their possession; seven 750kg bags containing dry leaves suspected to be cannabis, and three dane guns.

“The suspects were immediately arrested and taken to the Police station.

He added that investigation is still ongoing.

Alawari said the 39 suspects paraded for the aforementioned crimes were all arrested in October.