From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Operatives of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), yesterday, paraded 42 suspected kidnappers in the forest of Tsaumi Village in Niger State.
The suspects who were moving towards the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to commit various heinous crimes ranging from kidnapping, armed robbery and vandalism, were rounded up with the help of 176 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army.
Parading the suspects in Abuja, the Commandant, FCT Command, Olusola Odumosu, said that the suspects who claimed to be miners have nothing to identify them as such.
Odumosu said that the suspected bandits were fleeing from the ongoing onslaught of the military operation in Zamfara State through the forest zone of Niger State into the FCT through Gwagwalada Area Council en route Pai Village of Kwali Area Council.
“The suspects were intercepted at the forest of Tsaumi Village bothering Lambata in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
Preliminary investigation by the corps revealed that they may not be miners as they presented but rather suspected bandits fleeing the ongoing onslaught of the military operation in Zamfara State through the forest zone of Niger State into the FCT through Gwagwalada Area Council en route Pai Village of Kwali Area Council.
“In the course of interrogation, they were unable to disclose the mining site and company’s name they alleged to be working for.
Further investigation revealed that this group of young men have been operating within Zamfara, Kogi and Niger states.
“At the time they were intercepted, they had no evidence to show they were going on mining activities which suggests they have a sinister agenda” he said.
The commandant used the occasion to assure residents of FCT of safety as the corps will not rest until Abuja is free of criminals.
“I want to assure the residents of FCT that we will not rest on our oars until we rid the FCT of all criminal elements that want to make the FCT unsafe for habitation.
I want to also appeal to the general public to report all suspicious persons, as security is everyone’s business” he stated.
Kidnapping activities have been on the rise in recent times in the Kwali area of FCT.
Among those kidnapped so far were Idris Mohammed, Abdullahi Zubairu, Sani Magani, Peter Modu, Ibrahim Mamman, Yellow Abdulrasheed, Musa Suleiman, Simbiya Ishaku, Sumaiya Ibrahim, Muktari Yunusa, Mohammed Yeluwa and Rahmat Shagari.
Other victims include, Sumaiya Abubakar Yelwa, Mohammed Yelwa, Maimuna Muhammad, Hussaini Ya Nda Agyana, Hamza Ibrahim, Lantana Yunusa, Nabila Agyana, Rufai Salihu, Nafisa Aminu, Kasimu Adamu, Abako Adamu, Abdulyakin Aliyu, Lukman Aliyu, Rahina Audu, Abdulrazak Usman, Sadiya Usman, Darius Samuel and Japheth Osu.