Niger State Police Command has arrested nine suspected kidnappers and rescued sixteen victims from across the state.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Muhammadu Abubakar, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Minna.
He explained that three of the suspected kidnappers were killed by the police during a gun duel with the security agents.
He said that the suspects were arrested in Mashegu, Bangi, Lapai, Paikoro, Shiroro and Rafi Local Government Areas of the state in the last two months.
Abubakar said that on April 29 at about 10p.m the command was informed that armed bandits blocked Sahorami-Makera road under Mashegu LGA.
He said the hoodlums stopped a trailer with reg. No BLR 377 XA Gombe and kidnapped the driver, along Tungar Mahaukaciya and took him into a nearby bush.
According to him, operatives of operation Puff-Adder ambushed the kidnappers, and succeeded in gunning down one of the kidnappers and rescued the victim unhurt.
” One AK47 riffle loaded with 28 live ammunition was recovered and the corpse of the suspect was deposited at Kontagora General Hospital.
“In same vain, on April 26 at about 2:45p.m, acting on a tip-off, on the same date at about 2: 45p.m, some unknown armed men invaded the house of one Alhaji Umaru Maipeshi of Gidan-Kwano village in Mashegu LGA, kidnapped and took him on Bajaj motorcycle heading towards Kampani Bobi village via Bangi.”
The spokesman said that Bangi Police Division was alerted and immediately the policemen blocked Sabon-Gida–Kampani-Bobi road and engaged the hoodlums in a fierce gun battle.
“The Police overpowered the hoodlums and gunned down two suspects, while the victim was rescued unhurt.
“Exhibits recovered include one AK47 rifle with empty magazine, one Bajaj motorcycle and one Tecno phone.
“Also, on March 1 at about 6p.m one Abubakar Ardo of Rafin Gora village, Mashegu LGA reported a case of kidnap at Mashegu Division at about 10a.m.” he said.
Abubakar said that one Alhaji Auta of Dutsen-Magaji Village in Mashegu LGA and ten others were kidnapped by unknown hoodlums from their houses to unknown destination.
“Immediately, a team of Policemen from Mashegu Division gave the suspects a hot chase and the kidnappers had no option than to release the victims and fled.
“All the hostages were rescued unhurt.
“Similarly, on 12th March at about 7p.m, one Bature Abubakar of Fulani camp Tanagi village of Mashegu LGA, reported a case of kidnapping at Mashegu Division.
“On the same date at about 11p.m, a gang of kidnappers entered their camp and attacked him with machetes, sticks and kidnapped his wife Jummai Bature and one other to unknown destination.
“During Police investigation, one Babuga Umaru of the same address was arrested and confessed to have conspired with three others at large and conjointly kidnapped the victim,” he said.
The police spokesman said that the victim was later rescued unhurt by a team of Policemen at Tenangi village in Mashegu LGA.
He explained that the case has been charged to court.
Abubakar said on March 14 at about 3:40p.m, based on information from a reliable source Police detectives attached to Kagara Division arrested two suspected kidnappers.
He said during investigation, the suspects were linked to a kidnapping gang terrorizing the axis of Kagara, Kutigi, Bida LGA and environs for over three months ago.
Also, on March 15 at about 9:30p.m, one Alhaji Salisu Mani of Osato area Suleja reported at ‘A’ Division Suleja that that his son, Musa Salisu was missing.
He said that while the police was searching for him at about 11:p.m he received a phone call from an anonymous caller that they kidnapped his son for ransom and immediately switched off their phone.
A team of Policemen from ‘A’ Division Suleja during a painstaking investigation unravel the identity of the perpetrators and arrested two suspects and rescued the son unhurt.
The suspects both confessed to have kidnapped the victim in order to demand a ransom of one hundred thousand naira before meeting their waterloo.
He said that the suspects were charged to court.
“On 22nd April at about 2p.m, the police received information on the activities of armed bandits around Kotorishi bush Kaffin-koro.
“Mobile Police personnel of 42PMF based at Ishau village in Paikoro LGA rushed to the scene and engaged the bandits in a gun duel, which forced them to escape into the bush.”
Abubakar said that exhibits recovered include: four empty AK47 magazines, one locally made pistol with 7 rounds of live ammunitions, two army camouflage uniforms, one Tecno handset, one small solar panel and one black veil.
He said also on April 23 at about 11:30, the police were told of that two strange heavily built men were suspiciously sighted at a nearby bush closed to Adunu village via Kaffin-Koro of Paikoro LGA.
According to the PPRO, police operatives of Kaffin-Koro Division rushed to the area.
“Upon questioning the duo, they were taken into custody for failure to give satisfactory answers to questions put to them by the Police.
“The suspects were later identified as Isah Mohammed and Bitrus Eric both of Mutun-Daya, Shiroro LGA and Daza village of Munya LGA respectively.
“Further investigation revealed that they had kidnapped one Maryam Abubakar Adamu of Chanchaga, Minna sometimes in October, 2018, he said.
Abubakar said Isah Mohammed that led the gang to the victim house happened to be a nephew to the victim.
He said that the second suspects, Bitrus Eric confessed to have received two hundred thousand naira (N200, 000.00) as part of his share of the ransom.
He explained that the suspects have been charged to court, adding that the operatives also foiled attempted kidnap in Shiroro and Lapai respectively.
The PPRO said that one Shehu Daudu of Fulani camp Lawo village of Shiroro LGA also narrowly escaped being kidnapped while he was sleeping.
He said some men armed with dangerous weapons invaded his house and attempted to kidnap him by firing sporadically in the air to scare people away but did not succeed as people from neighborhood came to his rescue.
Abubakar said that subsequently, one suspect was trailed, arrested and detained by the Police in Shiroro LGA while two others are still on Police radar.
He said exhibits recovered from the suspect include: Berretta pistol with seven (7) rounds of live ammunitions.
Also, March 31 at about 4:30p.m, the police were informed that one Ibrahim Bahago of Fulani camp Maguda village via Lapai LGA and five others were in a beer parlor discussing on how to kidnap one Abubakar Sule a member of Fulani vigilante group Kpada.
He said based on this, the policemen stormed the area and arrested the said Ibrahim Bahago, while others took to their heels.
“The suspect’s house was searched, one AK47 magazine with 60 rounds of live ammunitions, one sleeve shirt, two pullover shirts, and one container of service oil were recovered as exhibits,” he said.
The police spokesman said that the case was still being investigated.
