Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Police Force Headquarters in Abuja yesterday said Operation Puff Adder launched to curb kidnaping and other violent crimes along the Abuja/Kaduna highway has arrested 18 suspected kidnappers and recovered 18 AK-47 riffles.
Force public relations officer, Frank Mba, who made this known in a statement, said the police team also recovered five locally fabricated pistols and a cache of live ammunition from the bandits.
Mba said their arrest and recovery of the huge weapons was made possible from the confession of one of the spiritual fathers of the criminal gang earlier arrested by the police.
He said: “Police investigations have positively linked the arrested suspects to some of the most heinous crimes committed in Kaduna States and its environs in recent times.
“Specifically for example, Abubakar Ibrahim, alias Dan Habu, 37, and a native of Kabam in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, who was arrested on the April 15, 2019, at Rigachikun in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, confessed to the kidnapping and gruesome murder of HRH King Agom Adara of Kajuru LGA and many other kidnappings and murders.
“Sequel to the arrest of the ‘spiritual father’ of kidnappers and armed bandits operating in the Northern part of the country, Mallam Salisu, police detectives attached to Operation Puff Adder, through a series of detailed, intensive and sustained investigative operations, successfully arrested 18 more notorious kidnappers and armed robbers at different times and places across the country.
“A total of 22 AK-47 riffles, five locally fabricated pistols and a cache of live ammunition were recovered from the bandits.
“The combined team of crack detectives from IRT, TIU and other operatives, using actionable intelligence obtained from the spiritual godfather of the kidnappers and other multiple sources, tactically ‘smoked out’ the kidnappers and armed bandits from their hideouts in Birnin Gwari, Rijana, Katari, Mai Daro and Buruku forests in Kaduna State before they were eventually arrested at different locations and times in Kaduna, Katsina, Niger and Kogi states respectively.
“Similarly, the arrested gang members were also indicted by investigations for the kidnap and murder of Mallam Yakubu Usman, 40-years-old male of Jere LGA, Kaduna State and many other crimes.
“Although, the suspects belong to different loose, fairly independent but vicious criminal gangs, their operations are centrally coordinated by their spiritual godfather, Mallam Salisu.
“Efforts are currently being intensified to arrest other gang members still at large and recover all weapons in the gangs’ armoury.”