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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The police force headquarters in Abuja said operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have smashed a notorious kidnap gang terrorising the people of Taraba State and arrested 11 members of the gang.
Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, who made the closure, said the IRT operatives, working alongside men of the Taraba State police command, recovered seven AK47 rifles, two Beretta pistols, 121 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, four magazines, masks, illicit drugs and other incriminating items during a raid of various criminal hideouts in the State.
Mba gave the names of the suspects to include Luka Adam, Shuaibu Nuhu, Moses Amos, Peters Mashi, Ahmadu Mallam, Adamu Mohammed, Dahiru Mallam Dalha, Gambo Isah, Sanusi Ahmadu, Mallam Mohammed and Mauludu, Ibrahim Idi, all indigenes of Taraba State. He said the suspects, who had been on the wanted list of the police for sometime now, were linked to the recent upsurge in incidents of kidnapping in the State, including the deliberate and calculated attacks on security personnel.
Mba, said: “Investigations also revealed how two of the suspects, Gambo Isah and Sanusi Ahmadu, masterminded the killing of the police sergeant and left a police inspector with gunshot injuries in their recent operation, to enable them escape arrest, having abducted some victims in Jalingo recently.
“Investigations further revealed that the modus operandi of the suspects include trailing individuals – business owners, government functionaries, motorists with flashy and exotic cars, etc – to their houses and, thereafter, planning and executing the kidnap of such persons.
“They also collect huge sums of money as ransom from relatives and friends of their victims before their release.”
He said the police, in the course of investigations, equally identified and raided various criminal hideouts, where kidnap victims were usually kept.
While a cache of weapons and other incriminating items were recovered from the hideouts, all the kidnap victims held hostage at the various hideouts were carefully and successfully rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.
