The Benue State Police Command has arrested a spiritualist and 11 suspected kidnappers connected to the abduction of Commissioner for Housing/Urban Development, Ekpe Ogbu, and others.

Ogbu was abducted along with four other people, including his driver, an aide, a Catholic priest and one other were abducted within the senatorial district in December 2022.

Catherine Anene, the spokesperson for the command, confirmed the arrest in a statement dated Monday, January 9, 2023. She also stated that Mohammed Usman Omachoko was a spiritualist who specializes in making protection charms for kidnappers.

Anene said that the State Commissioner for Police, CP Wale Absss, had directed the deployment of tactical units to the southern region of the state in an effort to track down the kidnap syndicates.

“As a result of this deployment, men of Operation Zenda JTF have trailed and arrested 12 people in connection with the case of kidnap that happened on December 4, 2022, involving the Commissioner for Housing/ Urban Development, Hon. Anthony Ogbu," the statement read.

“One Mohammed Omachoko, who specialises in preparing protection charms for kidnappers, David Ejembi, Aondongu Akighir AKA “Too Proud” and Teryima Peter were arrested while they were on their way to purchase guns for the group.

“Further investigation led to the arrest of nine other gang members, two locally made Baretta pistol loaded with 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition were recovered from them. Suspects confessed to the crime,” the statement added.

The spokesperson said that the CP urged people of the state to give useful information to the police to enable them to fish out hoodlums within their community.