UPDATE: Ministry petitions police to investigate how prison officials escorted an inmate to a bank to withdraw ransom money.

Plateau State Ministry of Justice has asked the police in Jos to investigate the status of a suspect, Jethro Ngusen, an inmate of Jos Custodial centre, and how he was escorted to a bank by prison officials to withdraw money while in their custody.
The suspect, along with six others, is being prosecuted for the kidnapping and murder of the father of a former governor of the state, Chief Joshua Dariye.

93-year-old Pa Dariye Defwan was kidnapped and killed after his abductors had allegedly collected N10 million ransom from his family in September 2021.

But while Nguyen, 53, an indigene of Bokkos local government area, where the victim also hailed from, was remanded in custody by the order of a court, the suspect was, on July 31, arrested in a bank where some prison officials had escorted him to withdraw some money.

In a petition to the police signed by Assistant Director, Citizens’ Rights and Law Reform, Barr. J. I. Mantu, on behalf of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Friday, the petitioners alleged that that the bank officials had alerted men of the ‘A’ Division of the Plateau State Police command, who stormed the bank and arrested the suspect as some warders had escorted him to the bank to withdraw some cash.

The petition reads, “The ministry is prosecuting Jethro Ngusen alongside six other defendants in charge no. PLD/1203c/2021 The People of Plateau State vs Ya’u Saidu and 6 ors for the offences of crinaal conspiracy, kidnapping and murder in the Plateau State High Court of Justice sitting at the West of Mines, Jos before Hon. Justice G. D. Fwomyom.

“The defendants have all been remanded at the Jos Custodial Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending trial following the order the honourable court

‘According to information available to the ministry, Jethro Ngusen, an inmate remanded in custody of Jos Correctional centre, was arrested by your officers on the 31st of July, 2023, in a bank when he went to withdraw money and the attention of your division was drawn to that fact from the bank, leading to his arrest by your officers. This situation has raised concerns about the potential escape, compromise, misuse of privilege or unauthorized activities in the light of the charges of criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and murder of Pa Dariye Defwan against the defendants.

“I am directed to kindly request the following information: (a) Investigation Status. An update on the current status of the investigation into Jethro Ngusen’s activities at the bank (b) Charges: The charge of First Information Report (FIR) that has been filed against Jethro Ngusen as a result of his presence at the bank having escaped from the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (c) Evidence: All available evidence, statements or documentation related to the incident at the bank (d) Legal Proceedings: Information about any legal proceeding, court appearances or hearing scheduled for Jethro Ngusen in connection with this incident (e) Jethro Ngusen’s whereabouts and if granted bail by your office, the particulars of his sureties