Borno State Police Command on Friday paraded a suspected gunrunner, Clement Asuk of Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State, alongside 45 other suspects, arrested at the Tashan Kano motor park by the Intelligence and Surveillance Team of the command who were on morning patrol.
This was confirmed by the State Commissioner of Police, Abdu Umar, on Friday, while briefing journalists at the Police Command Headquarters in Maiduguri.
The command said gun dealer Asuk was arrested on the 30th of March, 2022, while trying to board a bus to the South.
He was found to be in possession of 126 anti-aircraft ammunition; 222 of 7.62mm of life ammunition; 517 of 7.62mm by 51 life ammunition; 7.62mm by 39 life ammunition; two empty magazines of AK47; four RPG Prepare Lent; five perfumes; application forms of the Nigerian Navy.
The other 45 suspects were arrested for various crimes ranging from armed robbery to car snatching, theft and criminal conspiracies.
Some of the items recovered from them included: one anti-aircraft ammunition belt; the sum of ₦15,250 Nigerian currency, one note of 10,000 Korean currency, and one Meinnah 120 drugs and cham.
Amongst the paraded 45 suspects was a 22-year-old child trafficker identified as Bilkisu Ali, aka Ummi, who told The PUNCH that she was a civilian JTF personnel serving in Konduga, where she had kidnapped one three-year-old Hadiza Modu, before her arrest.
“On the 31st of March 2022 at about 11:00 am, one Mohammed Modu ‘m’ of Bama town, reported at Konduga police station that, on the same date at about 12:00 pm, one Bilkisu Ali, aka Ummi ‘f’ – 22 years old of Konduga IDPs camp, also a volunteer of CJTF Konduga LGA, took his 3-year-old daughter named Hadiza Modu ‘f’, with intent to go and sell to one Madam Joy (surname unknown) of Abia State, now at large. The victim was rescued at Damaturu, Yobe State, unhurt by the police. The case is under investigation,” the CP stated.
Also paraded was one 46-year-old Zakariya Ya’u, who raped his 92-year-old grandmother, Wambudu Bello.
When approached by The PUNCH, the suspected rapist had said, “I was influenced by drugs. I didn’t know I raped her because I was under the influence of drugs”.
The CP said all cases would be charged to court as soon as investigations were completed. He also implored the general public to provide credible intelligence to the police for proactive measures to curtail the rising crime rate in the state.
“These accomplishments are not without the assurances of the unalloyed support and commitment of the general public towards discharging our statutory responsibility. Thus, we seek a robust police public partnership in the continuous fight against criminal elements, as the quest of securing the society is everybody’s business,” he affirmed.
Copyright PUNCH.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: [email protected]
