Police hunt Dura District Head, 7 others in connection to Alkali's disappearance in Jos

The immediate past Chief of Administration, Army Headquarters, Abuja, was declared missing on the September 3, 2018, after he disappeared while travelling alone in his car from Abuja to Bauchi State.

Since the Army set up a joint task force to commence a search and rescue operation, his black Toyota Corolla car has been recovered from a pond in Dura, Du District, Jos South local government area of Plateau State.

As part of its preliminary investigations, Police has now declared eight suspects wanted on suspicion of masterminding the abduction, assault and disappearance of the retired officer. Chief among the suspects is Yakubu Rap, the 52-year-old District Head of Dura.

Other suspects are 28-year-old Da Chuwang (aka Morinho), a panel beater by occupation; 25-year-old Nyam Samuel (aka Soft Touch), also a panel beater; 27-year-old Matthew Wrang (aka Amesco); and 53-year-old Pam Gyang Dung (aka Boss), a farmer and miner by profession.

Others are 46-year-old Chuwang Istifanus Pwajok Stephen (aka Tifa), a surveyor and businessman; 26-year-old Timothy Chuan, a tipper driver and sand vendor; and 25-year-old Moses Gyang (aka Boss).

The Plateau Command called on members of the public to report to the nearest police station if any of the suspects are sighted.

The mystery of the Jos pond

On September 20, 2018, around 500 women clad in black staged a protest against a Joint Task Force set up by the Nigerian Army at a mining pond at Dura, Du District, Jos South local government area of Plateau State.

The task force was acting on a directive from the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, to locate Major General Idris Alkali (rtd), the immediate past Chief of Administration, Army Headquarters, Abuja, who was declared missing on the September 3. Alkali had been travelling alone in his car from Abuja to Bauchi State when he went missing.

The search and rescue team is a Joint Task Force comprising officers and soldiers from 3 Division Quick Response Team, Operation Safe Haven, Nigeria Police Force, Vehicle Inspection Office, Fire Service, as well as local divers.

During the course of its investigation, the team received credible intelligence that made it important to examine the content of the mining pond at Dura, Du District where the women protested.

The team's decision to evacuate the water from the pond, after receiving intel that vehicles were pushed inside it, triggered the women to protest against the Army's actions.

One of the leaders of the protest, Mary Yakubu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the water holds a cultural significance for the community and should not be tampered with.

"If the water is evacuated, it could lead to the death of our sons and husbands," she claimed.

Another reason given for the protest was the alleged maltreatment of residents of the community by members of the task force who were accused of locking down the area and preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

The protest succeeded in forcing a Chinese construction company that was assisting the operation in drilling out water from the pond to withdraw their services due to continuous threats.

Around the time of the protest, the team recovered the detached door of an 18-Seater Hummer bus from the pond and redoubled its effort to drain the water.

A week later on September 29, the team finally pulled out a black Toyota Corolla car, with Kwara number plate 'MUN-670AA', from the pond.

It was the same car that Alkali was driving when he went missing. Shoes and clothes belonging to the retired military officer were also found in the retrieved vehicle.

The recovery of the car has led to speculations that Alkali, who retired from service on August 7, 2018, may have been killed or taken captive by criminal elements who must have driven his car into the pond.

More vehicles recovered from pond heightens tension in community

Since the draining of the pond started, many other vehicles have been pulled out, leading to speculation that it might have been a hotspot for criminals to hide evidence of their nefarious activities.

More than 10 vehicles as well as tricycles and motorcycles have been recovered by the Joint Task Force with the help of local divers.

On Tuesday, October 2, a white-coloured Toyota Hiace, with number plate Plateau 'RYM-307-XA', was recovered from the pond three months after it was last seen, along with the driver, on June 24.