A teenage student, Benjamin Basil, was apprehended by security operatives at a bank in Jos, the Plateau State capital, with devices suspected to be bomb explosives while attempting to rob the bank of N100 million. Basil explained that he was forced into the act by kidnappers.
Speaking at the Police Command headquarters in Jos, where he was paraded alongside other suspects, Basil, a student at Plateau State Polytechnic, said, “My name is Benjamin Basil. I’m an ND 1 student at Plateau State Polytechnic, studying Civil Engineering. I’m 17 years old and I reside opposite the Police Staff College in Jos. On May 13, around 9 am, I was on my way to school when I was kidnapped near the Police Staff College.”
He continued, “The kidnappers instructed me to raise my shirt. When I asked why, they threatened to shoot me if I didn’t cooperate. They then wrapped what they claimed was a suicide bomb around my waist, took my phone and money, and later returned them. They handed me two bags and told me to get N100 million from a bank. They said they would be waiting at the bank’s gate and would kill me if I didn’t comply. They made me inform the bank cashier that I had a suicide bomb and that 12 armed men were outside ready to confront anyone who called for help.”
Basil recounted that the kidnappers arranged for a motorcyclist to take him to the UBA branch at Dadinkowa. “When I spoke to the cashier inside the bank, he initially agreed not to call for help. But suddenly, everyone in the bank started running. I panicked, thinking the kidnappers were coming inside, and ran outside, where the bank security officials apprehended me,” he said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Olugbenga, revealed that the devices wrapped around Basil were not bomb explosives. He stated that investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would be charged to court upon completion.
“The case is currently under investigation at the state CID to verify his claims and identify possible suspects,” the commissioner said. He commended the citizens of Plateau State for their cooperation and timely information, which he said aids the police in securing lives and property.
