SaharaReporters gathered the youths went for their routine weekend hike at a hill when they were arrested by the police.
Operatives of the anti-cult/kidnapping team of the Nigeria Police Force, Plateau State Command, reportedly arrested 13 youths at a hill around ECWA Staff School, Jos, Plateau State on Saturday.
SaharaReporters gathered the youths went for their routine weekend hike at a hill when they were arrested by the police.
A resident of the community confirmed to SaharaReporters that they were probably arrested because of a kidnapping incident that happened in the area last Thursday, two days before their arrest.
Tony Brown Ndukwe, the caretaker of the compound at Down Base around ECWA Staff School, Jos where the hikers reside, said, “The hike was planned by members of the compound. In fact, I was supposed to join them but I had some delays on my end.
“We gathered that a distress call was made by local vigilantes in the community to the police who tagged them as the people behind the kidnap.
“It is surprising because these vigilantes know these guys.”
"The particular spot of the hill which has been alleged to be a black spot is a popular hiking spot in the community. Prior to this hike, other groups of young people have used it for recreational and religious activities," he added.
Ndukwe said there was no informal or formal notice banning persons in the community from using the hill for recreational activities.
"When we asked the police what the charge against them was, they said that there was no charge and nothing incriminating was found on them even after their houses were searched,” another source who is a relative of one of the arrested youths revealed.
However, the youths were charged with “Criminal Conspiracy, Belonging To Gang Of Wandering Brigands, Assembling For Purpose Of Committing Brigandage, And Unlawful Society (sic)” on Monday.
According to the court document obtained by SaharaReporters, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Jos for prosecution.
The document reads: "On the 15/08/2022 at about 1100hrs, the above-mentioned case was transferred to the SCID, Jos for prosecution.
“That on the 13/08/2022 all about 07400hrs, while the OC Anti-Kidnapping & team, OC Anti- Cult & team, DPO Lanto & team, DPO Rantiya and team and the Hunters association raided a criminal hideout on the hill around ECWA Staff School Jos, after a distress call of a kidnapping incident found and arrested the following persons; (1) Nnamdi Victor 'm' (2) Solomon Ojobo "m' (3) Deborah Edeh (4) Wisdom Sadiq Sani 'm' (5) Alagi Johnson 'm' (6) Bulus Emmanuel'm' (7) Ezeaputa Chigozie 'm' (8) Nnanyelnao Chigozie m(9) Augustine Ogbole 'm' (10) Eze Chiwuemeka (11) Ishaya Ayuba "m" (12) Manasseh Ambam and (13) Omosbak Daniel 'm' who are members of unlawful society and belonging to gang of wandering Brigands, assembling for purpose of committing Brigandage.
"That police investigation revealed the suspects are members of unlawful society and belonging to gang of wandering Brigands, assembling for purpose of committing Brigandage. You thereby committed offences contrary to and punishable under sections 59,290, 291, and 292 of the Plateau State Penal Code of Law, 2017 and sections 37(4) of the Plateau State Anti- Land Grabbing, Kidnapping."
It was equally gathered that the 13 youths were all denied bail. Hence, the court ordered that they should be remanded in prison till September 19, 2022, the next adjourned date.
A Tourism Consultant, Ephraim Freezle, said, “It is not necessary to have a police warrant before going for hikes. However, it’s important for organizers to carry out a security survey of the location majorly to boost the confidence of the hikers.”
Freezle further stated that hiking has been used as a tool to unite the “polarised Jos metropolis”, the diversity in the ethnic and religious affiliations of these 13 hikers that have been wrongly arrested underscores this submission.
“Criminalising hiking will affect the peace-building process and the growth of tourism in the state,” he added.
But when SaharaReporters contacted the spokesperson for the state police command, Alfred Alabo, seeking his reaction to our findings, he said he refused to make any comment.
He, however, promised that a statement would be released on the matter very soon.