The Police in Nasarawa State have arrested four suspects in connection with the abduction of Mr Pan Yu, a Chinese, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Lawal Shehu said.

Yu was abducted in Toto Local Government Area of the state on May 16.

Shehu told newsmen on Monday that the suspects were arrested on July 6 in Toto following a tip-off.

The commissioner said the suspects on May 16, ambushed a vehicle conveying the victim and three others to Abuja at Ayiwawa village in the local government and kidnapped him.

According to him, the vehicle belonged to Tongyi Allied Mining Company.

Shehu said the suspects shot and killed Cpl Emmanuel Solomon, who was on special duty and carted away his AK47 riffle No. 22886 with 30 rounds of live ammunition.

According to the commissioner, sustained joint operation by the Special Anti Robbery Squad and Police Mobile Force on the suspects made them relocate to Kogi.

He said that they eventually released the victim on May 23, adding that the AK47 riffle was recovered from them.

The commissioner added that the suspects had confessed to the crime and were cooperating with the police in the investigation.

According to Shehu, four other members of the gang are at large but the command is closing in on them.

The commissioner announced the arrest of another 32-year old suspect on July 4, who allegedly conspired with others to kill Pastor Zakaria Joseph of the Evangelical Churches of West Africa (ECWA).

Shehu said Joseph was the Chairman of Christian Association Nigeria in Obi Local Government Area of the state.

He said the incident occurred on June 30 at Obi.

In an interview, the suspect denied involvement in the killing of the pastor but admitted that there was a misunderstanding between him and the late pastor.

He claimed that the misunderstanding was resolved by the traditional ruler in the area and expressed surprise that the police still came to arrest him in connection with the death.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the police also arrested 17 other suspects for alleged armed robbery, car snatching and cultism in the state between June and July.

The commissioner said all the suspects would soon be charged to court and promised that the command would not rest on its oars in fighting crime and criminality in the state. (NAN)