Bitrus Albarka, a Jos preacher detained on Wednesday for arranging his own kidnapping, said to the police he did it to pay off his debts.
The Plateau State Police Command found that ECWA Church pastor Mr. Albarka colluded with his gang and collected ransoms for his release.
The pastor apologized Thursday at the police headquarters parade.
I do these things because of my money problems. I regretted the first one. I left without money. I considered returning. Confused. Thus, the second one. He apologized.
The pastor who burned a senior pastor's car stated he didn't know what happened.
Lai Mohammed: My main regret as minister
I burned the car because I was guilty. Confused. I have no idea. I confessed because I'm a preacher. Sorry. So sorry.
The police said the pastor kidnapped himself on 14 November 2022 and collected N400,000, then kidnapped himself again on 30 November and collected 200,000 from church members.
“His fake kidnaps of 14/11/2022 and 30/11/2022, where his sympathizers paid N400,000 and N200,000 ransoms for his release, raised suspicion.
“Through solid intelligence, the cleric was invited by DPO Nassarawa Gwong Police Station, CSP Musa Hassan, and inquiry began immediately. The suspect and his crew conspired to kidnap him and steal the ransom.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime and named the following accomplices: (1) Baruk Mailale, (2) Nathaniel Bitrus, both males of Yelwan Zangam village of Jos-north, and (3) Aye (surname yet to be found) ‘male of Jalingo, Taraba State.
“The suspect further confessed that on 04/01/2023, he set ablaze two motor vehicles (a Mercedes Benz and a Toyota) and a bicycle parked at ECWA Bishara 3 Jenta Apata premises belonging to his colleagues who he alleged one of them dislikes him, referring to his senior pastor,” the statement read.
Police said Nassarawa Gwong Division, Jos-north LGA operatives detained two other suspects in the staged abduction, Baruk Mailale and Nathaniel Bitrus, and are intensifying efforts to catch Aye.
The command urged the people to be vigilant and report suspicious activity promptly to help apprehend criminals and reduce crime in the state.