OperatIves of the Nigeria Police Force Special Tactical Squad have arrested a total of thirty-two (32) notorious suspects for their complicity in the crimes of kidnapping, armed robbery, arms smuggling, illegal possession of weapons, trading in illicit drugs, trans-border car theft, rape, amongst others, the Nigeria Police Force have stated.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Frank Mba, stated that the Police team equally recovered Nineteen (19) AK47 rifles, one (1) GPMG, three (3) revolver rifles, two (2) G-3 rifles, one (1) SMG, one (1) berretta pistol, four hundred and fifty-three (453) rounds of live ammunition of different calibre, twelve (12) magazines and seventeen (17) stolen cars from the criminals during the follow-up investigations.
It said that notable amongst the cases is the arrest of six (6) notorious criminals involved in car theft in different parts of the country, particularly Nasarawa, Port-Harcourt, FCT, Kebbi and Zamfara, adding that these suspects smuggle the stolen cars through our international borders and deliver the same to a significant criminal receiver called Alhaji Garuba (still at large) in the Niger Republic.
According to the Police, Investigations revealed that the suspects’ modus operandi include snatching the cars at gunpoint and sometimes removing the vehicles from where they parked, especially crowded car parks like the Cinema, Church and Mosque.
It added that these cars were sold in neighbouring countries at give-away prices and sometimes delivered to Alhaji Garuba in exchange for illicit weapons, stating that the INTERPOL unit of the Nigeria Police is already working with their counterparts in the Niger Republic to arrest the fleeing suspects and bring them to book.
Secondly, the statement said is the arrest of one 27yrs-old Dayyabu Mohammed of Soba LGA of Kaduna State for illegal possession of five (5) AK47 rifles and 250 rounds of AK47 ammunition.
According to it, the suspect was arrested during a crackdown on bandits at Saminaka Forest in Kaduna State by operatives of STS. Investigation shows that Dayyabu Mohammed is an arms supplier to two (2) identified and wanted bandits in the North West and North Central parts of the country.
“The two bandit kingpins are Yellow and Budderi. Dayyabu Mohammed was intercepted while ferrying the weapons from Jos, Plateau State in a Golf-3 saloon car to the Bandit in their hideouts located in a forest at Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State”.
“Investigations by the Police team revealed that the Golf-3 saloon car was given to Dayyabu as his operational vehicle by one of the wanted bandits, with a promise that the full ownership of the vehicle would revert to him on completion of five successful arms delivery missions”.
“Also, is the arrest of the perpetrators of a recent deadly attack on travellers in the Tafa axis of the Kaduna – Abuja highway where the criminals abducted two (2) women and their husbands into the forest”.
“The operatives of the Special Tactical Squad deployed to that area were quickly mobilised and went after the suspects to rescue the victims”.
“The Police operatives eventually identified the criminals’ hideout, launched a rescue mission and successfully rescued the hostages, including the women, unhurt”.
“The operatives equally apprehended a gang of six; Mohammed always, Suleiman Ibrahim, Mohammed Rebo, Bashir Audu, Monsoru Abubakar and Abubakar Hamidu, in connection with the attack on a Mosque in Mazakuka area in Mashegu LGA in Niger State where eighteen (18) people were reportedly killed, and more than thirty (30) abducted”.
“Investigations by the Police team revealed that the gang leader, Mohammed lawali and some gang members are escapees from the Lokoja correctional centre”.
“Bashir Audu was arrested for his criminal role of supplying hard drugs to the gang. Two (2) AK47 rifles, three (3) fully-loaded magazines and various parcels of hard narcotics were recovered from them”.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, while commending the team for the successful operations, assures the nation that the Force would continue to close up on these criminal elements who pose threats to our national security”.
“The IGP calls on members of the public who are victims of car theft to visit the STS office at Guzape, Abuja, with proof of ownership to claim the vehicles bearing in mind that the colour, interior and vehicle number plate might have been tampered with”.
“All the suspects will be arraigned in court on the completion of investigations”, the statement read.
