By Christopher Oji
The Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has arrested seven more suspected notorious kidnappers that have been terrorising motorists and commuters using the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.
The suspects were the second batch of deadly kidnappers earlier declared wanted by the police.
Recovered from the suspects were an AK-47 rifle, locally-made pistols with ammunition and Army uniforms.
A senior police officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, following massive deployment of patrol vehicles, Police Mobile Force, Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, anti-kidnapping units and IRT operatives to the Abuja-Kaduna expressway by IGP Ibrahim Idris, there was subsequent arrest of 14 members of the Abuja-Kaduna expressway kidnapping ring by the operatives of the IRT.
He said, after the disclosures made after the arrest of the first group of suspects on the whereabouts of other kidnappers terrorising the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria highway, the IGP ordered the officer in charge of IRT, ACP Abba Kyari, to fish out the hoodlums.
He said the IRT operatives had stormed Gwagwada, Kangimi and Katari villages in Kaduna State and arrested Shuaibu, aka Kadi, Alhaji Ibrahim, Alhaji Abdulazeez, Ibrahim, Usman, Musa and Haruna.
Said he: “The suspects were arrested in Kangimi, Gwagwada and Katari villages, respectively, in Kaduna State. An AK-47 rifle, with serial number 6388, with one magazine fully loaded with 30 live ammunition, two locally-made pistols with two cartridges, cutlasses and charms were recovered from the kidnappers.
“The suspects confessed to several kidnappings of motorists and passengers, armed robberies and cattle rustling along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway and they are assisting operatives to arrest the remaining fleeing gang members and to recover more operational weapons.
“The suspects had raped many of their female victims, killed and maimed many victims. They had made the road fearful to many travellers. We will soon rid the roads of the criminal elements. I know that motorists and passengers will rejoice over the news of the arrest of the criminals.”