The Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team, led by its Commander, DCP Tunji Disu, has arrested an eight-man gang which allegedly abducted and killed Pa Dufwan Dariye, father of a former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye.
The senior Dariye was kidnapped in June 2020 and after eight days, his decomposing body was found in the bush close to his village in Horop, in the Bokkus Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The kidnappers reportedly collected N10m ransom before killing the 93-year-old.
But the gang leader, Jethro Ngusen, aka Baba Mai-Tuwo, said Dariye was killed “by mistake.”
Speaking at the Force headquarters on Wednesday, where he was paraded alongside his gang members, Ngusen said, “I didn’t plan to kill Baba Dariye, but the mistake has been made. What I planned was just to kidnap him and extort money from his son, Joshua.
“We are neighbours from the same village, Horop, in the Bokkus Local Government Area of Plateau State. Joshua spent eight years as a governor and another eight years as a Senator, but never assisted any of us his neighbours.
“Much as we tried to ensure he helped, he just didn’t want to help. That was why I decided that I will ensure that I get my own share of his money.”
Giving an account of how the deceased was abducted, the suspect explained that he hired some men to abduct the nonagenarian.
He said, “I contacted some guys and they in turn got some Fulani kidnappers to help abduct Baba Dariye.
“My boys took him to a forest where we negotiated the ransom. We were eventually given N10m. Although I didn’t plan to order my boys to kill him, but all I can ask for now is forgiveness for his death. As I said earlier, it was just a mistake. I only planned to collect ransom from his son. Please, forgive me.”
Other members of the gang are Abubakar Mohammed, 18; Ya’u Sadu, aka Ya’u Kaban, 40; Titus Ezekiel, 35; Dauda Isah, 30; Sunday Ibrahim, 35; Mangwat Shumwar, 30; and Henry Amos, 35. Others are said to be at large.
Shumwar, who claimed to have shot and killed the deceased, said he only carried out Ngusen’s orders.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, cautioned against celebrating criminals who became rich through ill-gotten wealth.
One of Pa Dariye’s sons, who was present at the parade, Dr Haruna Dariye, said he was shocked to hear Mai-Tuwo’s confession.
He explained that the suspect had denied any involvement in the crime when preliminary investigation pointed to him.
“They didn’t allow my father to die peacefully in his old age. We were contacted by the kidnappers after eight days in their den with N10m ransom paid, that our father had been released. They also told us where to pick him.
“On getting there, we found a decomposing body at the spot. We didn’t know that it was our father’s corpse.
“The kidnappers later told us that the decomposing body was our father’s corpse. This was after we paid N10m ransom. This is barbaric. We are gravely pained. But we thank God and the Nigeria Police Force for unravelling the mystery,” he said.