Police Arrest Four in Jos Model's Death, Two Still Wanted

The Plateau State Police Command said on Tuesday that six people were directly involved in the mob torture and killing of Ibrahim Mbaya, a model from Jos and a graduate of the University of Jos, known as “Ibee.” Two suspects are still on the run.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, shared this information while presenting four suspects in Jos. He mentioned that detectives are working hard to catch the remaining suspects.

According to Alabo, the police got a tip from a Good Samaritan about a young man who was taken to the hospital in serious condition after a violent attack. “Through a Good Samaritan, the Plateau State Police Command received information that a young man had been taken to the hospital in a very critical condition,” Alabo said.

He explained that the victim later died from his injuries, which led the police to start a thorough investigation. “Based on that information, we swung into action and arrested three suspects. During interrogation, they confessed to their various roles in the crime,” he stated.

As the investigation continued, another suspect was arrested, raising the total number of suspects in custody to four. “As investigations progressed, another suspect was arrested, bringing the total number of suspects in custody to four,” Alabo added.

He confirmed that about six people were involved in this incident and that they are still working to catch the others. One key suspect identified is Emmanuel Newyear, who was reportedly seen attacking the deceased with a wooden plank during the incident. Another suspect, Joshua Tell, was also arrested as the investigation went on.

Alabo mentioned that early investigations showed the suspects had a similar background linked to the same school. This led to cooperation with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). “We have been working closely with the leadership of NANS to ensure that every person involved in this crime is identified and arrested,” Alabo said.

He noted that NANS officials attended the parade to show their disapproval of the incident and support efforts to ensure that everyone involved is held accountable. “The four suspects you are seeing today are already in our custody, and we will continue to pursue the remaining suspects until they are all arrested. We will also continue to keep members of the public informed as the investigation progresses,” he mentioned.

The command has promised to seek justice for the deceased and has warned against jungle justice. “The command remains committed to ensuring justice for the deceased and warns against jungle justice. Criminal allegations should always be reported to law enforcement agencies rather than taking the law into one’s hands,” Alabo stated.

The police have also called on the public to share any information that might help the investigation, assuring them that their details will be kept confidential.

The death of Mbaya has caused anger in Jos, with residents and civil society groups demanding justice and urging stronger action against mob violence in Plateau State.