Taraba police command on Tuesday said it had apprehended three suspects in connection with the killing of three policemen and two vigilantes in the state.

The suspects were among 20 others held for other offences, who were presented to newsmen in Jalingo by the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr David Akinremi.

He recalled that the policemen and the vigilantes were killed in Bujum village, Lau Local Government Area of the state on Aug. 6, 2018 and had their AK47 rifle and a Bareta pistol taken away by their attackers.

Akinremi said that the offences of the other 20 suspects included rape, armed robbery, vandalism and dealing in human parts.

He named the slain police officers as ASP Kilobas Iliya, Sgt. John Dogo and PC Joel Saleh, adding that they and the deceased vigilantes were ambushed and killed by the gang of armed bandits while responding to a distress call.

Their suspected killers, according to him, are Adamu Bakari, Haruna Buba and Ali Musa.

“The suspects not only admitted their roles in the dastardly act but confirmed that about 20 of them were recruited by one Ahmadu Baka, Sarkin Fulani of Abare’’.

He said that the suspects confessed that the arms they used in killing the officers were given to them by Baka “under the guise that they were to help him fight some people coming to cart away his cattle”.

The police boss said that one AK47 rifle, single Barretta rifle, a locally-made pistol, cutlass and charms were recovered from the suspects.

He urged the public to be vigilant and provide useful information to the police, adding that the command was on the trail of the remaining members of the gang and their sponsor. (NAN)