…Rescue 11 hostages
FROM: PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI
The Bauchi State Police command has arrested 22 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, cattle rustlers, and rescued 11 hostages.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, Kamal Abubakar, disclosed this at a media briefing while parading the suspects at the Police Headquarters in Bauchi on Wednesday.
Abubakar, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the suspects allegedly committed the crimes within the last one month.
He said that on August 26 this year, the Command’s Anti-kidnapping Unit and the Special Anti-robbery Squad under the command of the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi local government Area, carried out the operation which led to the arrest of the suspects.
The PPRO said the team arrested Sabiu Umaru, male, 40, Abdullahi Alhaji, male , 26 and Saleh Abdullahi, male 25.
He said syndicate kidnapped one Fatima Musa, female (19) at Mararaba village, Liman Katagum, before she was rescued by the team.
“They also robbed, shot and wounded one Ardo Idris, (60) in-law to the hostage,” he stated.
Abubakar said that the suspects confessed that they carried out series of kidnap for ransom/armed robbery and cattle rustling in the State.
He said the command has also arrested a wanted member of the notorious extra judicial killing group popularly known as Babeli.
He said that the group, which operates within Bauchi/Ganjuwa/Darazo, kills anyone who is alleged to have stolen cows.
The PPRO explained that the Police Anti-kidnapping Unit traced and arrested one Bello Abdullahi, male of Briska village, Jigawa state, at Dajin Mountain in Bauchi Local Government Area.
“The suspect is wanted in connection with extra judicial killings, torture and extortion of Fulani nomads on fabricated allegations of being in connection with a criminal offence,” he said.
He said that the suspect confessed to be involved in the extra judicial killing of Ahmad Ardo, male, 20 of Buzun village in Ganjuwa Local Government Area and Musa Saleh, male 19 of Balmo village in Darazo local government Area.
The PPRO said further that among the suspects arrested is a 17-year-old woman who poisoned her co-wife’s 2-week old baby.
He said the suspect, Hindatu Abdullahi, collected the child of her co-wife, Fatima Abdullahi, “and went into her room with the baby and put into his mouth an insecticide popularly known as Pia Pia.
“As a result, the baby became unconscious and was rushed to a nearby dispensary at Gigyari village, later the baby died in the process of referring to General Hospital same day.”
Abubakar, said the suspect was arrested and the remaining quantity of the toxic insecticide was also recovered.
He said the suspect confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to Court for prosecution.
DSP Abubakar disclosed further that following an incident report that on 18th August, 2017 at about 2.30am, unknown gunmen stormed the residence of one Aliyu Mohammed, the officer in charge of Kundun dispensary in Tafawa Balewa LGA and kidnapped his wife, one Na’ima Idris (25).
He said the kidnappers demanded a ransom of Ten Million before releasing her.
According to him, “the Command’s Anti-kidnapping unit trailed the suspects to Gala mountain in Dass LGA. On sighting the Police, the suspects engaged the Police with fire, in the process, one of the suspects sustained gunshot injuries and later died on admission in the hospital. The Team successfully rescued the hostages.”
Those rescued according to him, are Naima Idris, female (25), Yakubu Hussaini, male (45), Inusa Usman, male (13) and Ishiaka Lawal, male (10).
He said the victims have been re-united with their families.