The kidnappers who murdered the father of Joshua Dariye, have revealed why they abducted the 93-year-old, and later murder him in cold blood.
Joshua Dariye is the former governor of Plateau State. He is currently serving a 10-year jail term since 2018 over financial fraud while he was governor.
His father Pa Dariye Dafwan was abducted from his home in Horop community, Bokkos LGA of Plateau State on June 17. He was shot dead eight days after the suspected kidnappers collected the N10 million ransom from the family.
The suspects, a combination of Plateau natives and Fulani men, were paraded before newsmen at the force headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, September 8.
According to the police spokesman, Frank Mba, the breakthrough that led to the arrest of the suspects began with the arrest of one Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a Buba ‘m’ 23yrs, a native of Gada Biyu in Daffo district, Bokkos LGA, Plateau State who is one of the principal suspects in the kidnap operation.
Abubakar’s confession which revealed how they abducted and murdered the nonagenarian assisted the Police team in apprehending seven (7) other members of the gang – Ya’u Saidu aka Ya’u Kaban m’ 40yrs, from Kaban Village, Bokkos LGA, Plateau State, Titus Ezekiel 34yrs from Horop, Bokkos LGA, Dauda Isah ‘m’ 30yrs, from Horop, Sunday Ibrahim m’ 35yrs, Mushere tribe from Horop, Mangut Shumwar ‘m’ 30yrs, from Horop, Henry Amos ‘m’ 35yrs native of Horop, and Jethro Ngusen ‘m’ 57yrs, native of Horop.
According to the police investigation, it was Jethro Ngusen who is the mastermind and convener of the gang.
The police say he instructed one of the gang members, Mangut Shumwar to kill Pa Dariye because he feared that Pa Dariye might recognize the suspects since the majority of them are from the same village as the deceased.
Jethro was also identified as the one who took custody of the ransom and later shared the proceeds of the crime amongst the gang members.