The Police Public Relations officer, PPRO, of the Plateau State Police Command, DSP Alfred, confirmed the arrest of 18 suspects in relation to the lynching of an inspector, Laare Jeremiah.
Jeremiah was killed after an alleged motorcycle thief raised a false alarm that led to a mafia attack in the local government area of ​​the state of Bassa last Wednesday.
The incident occurred when Inspector Jeremiah, who was attached to the Department of Criminal Investigation, received the mandate to arrest a suspect criminal, Audu Abdullahi, who had been terrifying the residents of the community of Nyakala in the Bassa Council.
In the course of the arrest, the suspect reported an alarm that Jeremiah and another police officer who went to arrest, were motorcycle thieves.
The false alarm led to an action of the mafia when Jeremiah and his colleague were defeated to a pulp.
Jeremiah later died as a result of the action of the mafia.
The suspect was also beaten until death after the mafia realized that he had given them false information.
Confirming the arrest of the 18 people in a statement on Saturday, DSP Albo said: “Yesterday, we made about three arrests, and those three arrested mentioned other names.
“We have made a good number of other arrests, and in total, about 18 people have been arrested so far with respect to this incident.
“Police officers were carrying out their civic responsibility when they were attacked by a mafia. The suspect gave an alarm, claiming that police officers were motorcycle thieves, which led to the attack of the mafia.
“The officers left normal and obtained their suspect, but due to the behavior of the suspect, the invitation became an arrest.
“The mafia descended on the officer, although he identified himself as a police officer. Unfortunately, the officer suffered serious injuries and then died in the hospital. The mafia also attacked the suspect, who was later declared dead in the hospital,” he said, while condemned the appeal to the jungle justice that said it is never the way to go in a civilized society.
“We must not take the law in our hands. There is a reason for our establishment. None of those in the mafia can affirm that they do not know the police station or that they do not know the nearby military control point in the area.”
Alfred described the death of Inspector Jeremiah as a great loss for the command, since he was one of the best officers of the state Cid. He described him as a very professional, hardworking and brilliant officer.
“The loss is great, a loss for their family, people and the Nigerian police,” he lamented.