Abuja: Police Arrest Three Church Members Over Plot to Kidnap 59-Year-Old Pastor

Operatives of the Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Team (FIB-IRT) of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested three suspected kidnappers for allegedly plotting to abduct a fellow church member and demand ransom.

The Commander of the FIB-IRT, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Adamu Sa’idu, disclosed this on Thursday during a media briefing on the achievements of the police intelligence unit at Guzape, Abuja.

Sa’idu said the suspects allegedly attempted to kidnap their target, a 59-year-old female pastor, after devising a plan to force her to stop her vehicle along the Jikwoyi-Karu Road in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The victim, identified as Pastor Elizabeth Amaka Afobike of Blessed Holy Church, Keyegyi, Abuja, resides in Gwarimpa and was returning from a midweek church service when the suspects allegedly attempted to execute their plan.

According to the police, the suspects were members of the same church as the pastor and had reportedly shared in her testimony of a breakthrough in life before allegedly plotting to abduct her.

The suspects were identified as David Obaje, 26; David Dennis, 39; and Dikachi Emmanuel, 26.

Police authorities said the trio were arrested at about 6:38 a.m. following their alleged involvement in the attempted kidnapping.

Their alleged modus operandi was to pursue the pastor’s vehicle and deliberately ram its rear with their own vehicle, forcing her to stop and step out to inspect the damage.

The suspects allegedly intended to seize the opportunity to abduct her and whisk her away before demanding ransom.

However, the plan was foiled by police operatives, who arrested the suspects before they could carry out the abduction along the Jikwoyi-Karu Road.

Items recovered from the suspects included a Toyota Corolla, a locally fabricated firearm and a black sewn combat outfit allegedly designed to resemble a police camouflage uniform.

Meanwhile, the police commander disclosed that other suspected criminal kingpins had also been arrested at different times for alleged unlawful possession of firearms and armed robbery.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their efforts and urged the intelligence team to intensify intelligence-driven policing to rid the country of crime and criminal activities.

The police said all the arrested suspects would be charged before competent courts for prosecution upon the conclusion of investigations.