Police arrest 13 suspected kidnappers in Kwara
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Troops of 6 Brigade, Nigeria Army, Jalingo have arrested suspected terrorists and bandits in Jalingo and Karim Lamido Local Government Areas of Taraba State who were allegedly planning mayhem and unrest in the state.
Besides, several arms and ammunitions including 1 AK 47 and 20 rounds of 7.62 MM were recovered from the suspects as well as 436 machetes, motorcycle, mobile phones and 4 filling machines.
Similarly, Kwara state police command at the weekend arrested 13 suspected kidnappers and other criminals who have been terrorising the residents of the state for the past few months.
According to a statement signed by the acting Assistant Director of Public Relations of 6 Brigade, Captain Olubodunde Oni, on the 6th of August, troops received a credible information that bandits were enroute Mashingi village market in Karim Lamido Local Government Area to purchase food items.
The statement further noted that troops laid in wait for them and successfully arrested four of the suspects namely Yusuf Hassan, Mohammed Mamman, Haruna Illa and Hammadu Shaibu, while one motorcycle, four mobile phones and the sum of N57,000 were recovered from them.
Similarly, on the seventh of August 2024, troops of the Brigade deployed at Kambari, acting on credible intelligence on suspected bandits attacking a Fulani settlement in Katlong village in the same Karim Lamido Local Government Area, swiftly engaged the bandits who fled in disarray due to the heavy fire encounter with the troops.
One of the suspected bandits, Yusuf Musa, was arrested with one AK 47 rifle and 20 rounds of 7.62MM special ammunition while a total of 118 cows were recovered and handed over to the rightful owners.
Furthermore, the statement also stated that on August 9, 2024, following a tip-off from a credible source that suspects were gathering in large numbers in preparation to cause mayhem and unrest within the state, troops swiftly mobilised to the Magami general area in Jalingo where two suspects, Umar Zubair and Isah Abdullahi were arrested with 436 machetes.
Other items recovered from them, according to the statement, are four filling machines, one mobile phone and several other fabrication tools.
While commending the troops for their dedication and swift action in ensuring the safety of the people of the state, the Commander, 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, reiterated the Nigerian Army’s commitment to maintaining peace and security across the country.
General Uwa urged citizens to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities just as he emphasised that the Nigerian Army will continue to work closely with other security agencies and community leaders to eradicate all forms of criminal activities within the State and its environs.
He, however, assured stakeholders that the arrested suspects would be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigation and prosecution while also appreciating the support and cooperation of the good people of Taraba State in providing valuable information that contributes to the successes of the operations.
Meanwhile, Kwara state police command at the weekend arrested 13 suspected kidnappers and other criminals who have been terrorising the residents of the state for the past few months.
The police said that the affected suspects were arrested at different locations across the state.
Parading the suspects in Ilorin over the weekend, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Victor Olaiya, said the command had also recovered criminals charms and armoured cable from the suspects.
Mr. Olaiya explained that eight of the suspects were arrested for alleged cultism, while the remaining five were apprehended for the case of kidnapping.
He said the command would ensure all the suspects were thoroughly investigated and charged to court in accordance with the provisions of the law.
The commissioner, who noted the cases at hand, highlighted the serious challenges being faced and the significant progress made to apprehend the criminals.
He maintained that officers and men of the command would continue to discharge their duties in line with international best practices.
Mr. Olaiya said the command would remain committed to the maintenance of law and order at all times.
He appealed to the general public to support the command with information to enable it discharge it’s duties as expected.
