THREE suspects held by Nasarawa State Police Command on allegation of kidnapping have accused the command of demanding N35 million to secure their release.
This is even as the Nasarawa police command said it would not succumb to intimidation from any quarters as it has remained resolute to stamp out crimes and criminality in Nasarawa.
The three suspects, Bawa Adamu, Abdullahi Adamu and Ibrahim Bawa, said they were arrested on April 15, 2021, by the police following information by two police informants, Kire Iki and Dere Dono, that they were involved in kidnapping activities.
They alleged that the police have been forcing them to admit to the crime besides payment of N35 million for their release.
In a petition dated June 9, 2021, to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali, the two brothers being detained by the state police command denied involvement in the crime just as they appealed for transfer of the case out of Nasarawa for a thorough investigation.
According to the petition signed by their counsel, Oghenovo Otemu, the petitioners said of 17 persons arrested,12 were released upon payment for their bail while the police refused to release them and two others, insisting that N35 million must be paid.
Reacting to the allegations, Nasarawa State Police Command denied its involvement in the alleged bribery levelled against it.
Commissioner of Police in the state, Bola Longe, while reacting to the petition, said as soon as the suspects were arrested, pressure has been mounting from different quarters for their release.
He added that his command remained resolute in its determination to fight crimes to the barest minimum.
While vowing that despite the pressure, there must be a thorough and unbiased investigation into the case involving the suspects, he said his insistence that the law must take its course “prompted the petitioners to go to the highest command to seek the release of the suspects.”
