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From Sola Ojo, Abuja, and Joe Obukata Ogbodu, Warri
The Kaduna State Police Command said its men have arrested 12 suspected kidnappers, recovered N908,000 suspected to be proceeds of kidnapping, as well as caches of firearms.
Police public relations officer in the state, ASP Mansir Hassan, in a statement, said the suspects were arrested during various routine operations within the state. He added that local intelligence helped the gallant officers to record success within the past few weeks.
“On September 2, 2024, at about 5 am, police operatives, in collaboration with a team of local hunters, raided Maraban Wasa, Gurzan Hakimi Mariri and Abugan Kurama villages in Lere Kocal Government Area of Kaduna State and arrested five suspected kidnappers.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include one fabricated single-barrel gun, one green Golf car, one Bajaj motorcycle and eight mobile phones.
“Also, on September 2, at about 9pm, acting on credible information about a suspicious movement of bandits, police operatives laid an ambush in a motor park where a search was conducted, leading to the recovery of four fabricated AK-47 rifles hidden within a consignment.
“At about 5am the following morning, six suspects were arrested in connection with the incident. They are Lawal Murtala, Isa Kabiru, Auwal Surajo, Kamala Lawal, Umar Adamu and Kabiru Liman.
“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include four fabricated AK-47 rifles, two English pistols, two pump-action guns, 24 cartridges, 29 rounds of live ammunition of various calibers, a large quantity of assorted charms, one walkie-talkie, one axe and N908,600.
“Additionally, on September 3, at about 10pm, acting on credible information from a reliable source, police operatives were informed that a suspected bandit was lodging in a hotel within the Tafa area of Kagarko Local Government Area, Kaduna State.
“In response, a patrol team was swiftly mobilized and dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, the team arrested one Yahaya Yusuf, a 41-year-old male from Kabo village, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
“During investigation, the suspect confessed to being involved in cattle rustling and kidnapping in Niger and Kaduna. One Tecno cellphone was recovered from the suspect,” Hassan explained.
In the same vein, in a bid to combat the rising wave of crime in Delta State, the police command has been working tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of citizens. Led by the Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda S. Olufemi, the command has recorded a series of achievements in its fight against crime.
One of the command’s most notable achievements was the recovery of a large cache of weapons, including four AK-47 rifles, 138 rounds of ammunition/cartridges, eight pump-action guns, 15 cut-to-size guns, and five Baretta pistols. This feat was a testament to the command’s determination to rid the state of illegal weapons and ensure that Deltans can go about their daily activities without fear of robbery or kidnapping.
Addressing newsmen on the achievement of the command between July and September, Olufemi recounted how police personnel foiled attempts by suspected kidnappers to invade Delta State Polytechnic, Oghara, during their recently held graduation.
He said that police, on August 13, received credible information that some suspected kidnappers had planned to invade the institution and kidnap guests during the ceremony. On getting the intel, he directed the DPO of Oghara to intensify efforts and ensure that the suspects are arrested and their intentions foiled.
The DPO, according to him, led operatives to their hideout in a bush along Otefe/Ovade Legit Road, where the suspected kidnappers, on sighting the police, took to their heels but not without various gunshot injuries.
The CP disclosed that, while combing the forest, one AK-47 rifle, one magazine, one English pump-action gun and one locally made cut-to-size gun were recovered.
In the same vein, the police anti-crime patrol team of Oghara Division, while on stop-and-search duty along Otefe Ijomi community road, on August 14, arrested 22-year-old Ovoke Benedict and Fredrick Urhoborume, 23, for being in possession of firearms.
The police had intercepted a motorcycle carrying the duo, which was subjected to a search, during which one locally made cut-to-size gun and six live cartridges were recovered from them. Police investigators revealed in their preliminary report that they were suspected to be members of Arrow Barger confraternity.
In an earlier operation, which occurred on August 12, operatives of the CP’s special squad while on investigation alongside a suspected kidnapper, Joel Ochuko Ofoye, who was earlier arrested on July 18, recovered one Baretta pistol with four rounds of live ammunition, one pump-action gun with nine rounds and one locally fabricated revolver.
The recovery came after the suspect, Joel, who later lost his life in the operation, led the operatives to Ewu community in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State on the trail of a gunrunner who supplied arms to them. While they were on his trail, the team came under attack by the suspect’s gang in a bid to free the said Joel Ochuko.
But the police overpowered the hoodlums and they fled with bullet injuries. The suspect, Joel, according to police account, was hit during the gun duel, and he was taken to General Hospital, Ughelli, where he died while receiving treatment.
It was learnt that two weeks after, the CP’s special anti-kidnapping and cybercrime squad rescued two persons kidnapped on August 30 along Asaba-Benin Expressway.
The CP disclosed that, on August 31, acting on credible information relating to a kidnapping incident of two persons, he deployed the squad to ensure that the victims were rescued and the suspects arrested.
The commander of the anti-kidnaping squad, according to him, led policemen in a sting operation to Umunede forest area, where the victims were being held hostage. The suspected kidnappers, on noticing that the police were closing in on them, abandoned the victims and escaped.
The police team, he said, rescued the victims, who have since been reunited with their families, and recovered one dane gun and 10 rounds of live cartridges. Efforts have been intensified to capture all the fleeing suspects, he added.
Equally, police from Ofuoma Division, on August 5, arrested five suspected cultists in possession of three locally-made cut-to-size guns, one battle axe, 12 live cartridges, seven expended cartridges eight phones and two cross bags.
According to police, a complaint was received by Ofuoma division that on the same date some suspected cultists were shooting at Ogbovwan community, which prompted the DPO of Ofuoma division to lead patrol teams to the scene.
The suspects, according to the CP, upon sighting the team, took to their heels in different directions, but the operatives went after them and arrested five suspects, who were later confirmed to be members of Black Axe confraternity.
While efforts to arrest the other fleeing suspects is still ongoing, operatives of Dragon Patrol, on July 28, while on stop-and-search duty along Asaba-Kwale Road, intercepted a Sienna vehicle.
But the driver, according to the CP, on sighting the police fled into the bush and escaped. Upon search of the vehicle, two AK-47 rifles, three magazines and 58 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered.
Earlier, ASP Julius Robinson-led the CP’s special team to Ughelli North LGA and recovered two pump-action guns and 16 rounds of live cartridges from kidnappers’ hideout in Oviri-Ogor forest.
The Robinson-led team, according to the CP, acting on credible information, had on July 25 stormed Oviri-Ogor forest in search of a suspected kidnapper but a gun duel ensued between the gang of kidnappers and the police operatives, during which one of the suspects sustained serious gunshot injuries while others escaped with gunshot injuries. The injured suspect, the police disclosed, later died in the hospital while receiving treatment.
In the same vein, operatives of the command’s Rapid Response Squad, while on duty along Kwale road, on the same date, July 25, intercepted a Lexus 350 SUV, and upon search of the vehicle, two brand new pump-action guns were recovered. Four suspects were arrested and investigation is ongoing.
In Ekpan, on July 26, the DPO of Ekpan police station, acting on intelligence, stormed Kano Road, off DSC, and arrested one Akeni College and, upon search of his house, one Baretta pistol, two revolver pistols, six locally made guns and cartridges were recovered.
Another set of the command’s Rapid Response Squad while on stop and search duty around Koka in Asaba, on July 25, sighted a young man with a bag pretending to be waiting for a vehicle but upon approaching him, the suspect abandoned the bag and escaped and when the bag was searched, one AK-47 rifle and 29 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition were recovered.
About 2000hours operatives of the command Dragon Patrol while on stop and search duty along Asaba-Agbor expressway same date intercepted one Shola, 39, driving a green Toyota vehicle and upon search of the vehicle, they recovered three 220 packs of codeine, one hundred and 25 sachet of tramadol, and other hard drugs in large quantities in his possession.
Furthermore, on September 4 police surveillance team attached to ‘B’ division Asaba while on undercover patrol duties along Okwe road, Oko market Asaba, recovered three locally made cut-to-size guns, one pump action gun, and three live cartridges from a Toyota Avalon.
On sighting the police, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and took to their heels.
The operatives of Ebrumede division, acting on credible intelligence, while on patrol duty arrested six-passengers onboard a tricycle who attempted to escape on sighting the police after their tricycle was flagged down.
The operatives arrested the trio after a chase and upon search of the suspects, recovered two million, three hundred and forty-four naira. Some suspected stolen phones were also recovered.
Further investigation, according to the police, revealed that the phone belonged to their kidnapped victims and the money was part of the ransom the victims paid for their freedom.
Meanwhile, suspected kidnappers of a 29 year old victim of Kokori community have been arrested. Four of the five-man kidnapping syndicate who transferred N5 million from the victim’s account to unknown bank account were arrested by the CP’s special squad on August 11.
It was gathered that after the victim regained his freedom, he reported to the command. There, the CP directed the special squad to investigate and ensure that the perpetrators were arrested and brought to book.
The operatives, acting on available information provided by the kidnapped victim, embarked on a technically driven investigation, stormed Sapele town on August 11 and raided the apartment of one Sapiro, real name unknown, and upon search a Beretta pistol was recovered in his room. His gang members were arrested.
The suspects confessed to the act during interrogation. According to the police, effort to arrest other gang members is ongoing.
Meanwhile, the state commissioner of police has said that there would be increased visibility policing, raiding of black spots and criminal hideout across the 25 local government areas in the state to forestall likely upsurge in crime within the ember months.
He disclosed that operations order has been issued to all area commanders, divisional police officers and tactical commanders to be on red alert, urging members of the public to trust and always report incidences to the police as this goes a long way in fighting and checkmating the activities of criminals.
