Agaju Madugba, Katsina
Some two weeks after hoodlums abducted a Daura high chief, the Katsina State police command said on Wednesday that the whereabouts of Alhaji Musa Umar, still remain unknown.
Gunmen kidnapped Umar who is the Magajin Gari Daura from his Daura residence on May 1, 2019, but the presidency hinted last week that some arrests had been made in connection with the abduction.
However, speaking at a press conference in Katsina, on sundry abduction issues in Katsina State, the Police Public Relations Officer, Gambo Isah, regretted that there has not been further developments concerning the matter.
According to him, “apart from what was said at the presidency, there had not been any new developments concerning the abduction of the Daura district head.
“But I can assure you, we are working very hard towards seeing that the district head is rescued alive and we shall keep you posted.”
He noted, however, that an unspecified number of suspects were arrested last March in connection with the abduction of 80-year-old Hajiya Maistiyari, mother of one of the wives of Governor Aminu Bello Masari.
The abductors reportedly released the woman few days after she was kidnapped.
“It is true that we have made several arrests in connection with the incident but the suspects have been moved to Abuja. The Force Headquarters will make further pronouncements on the issue,” the PPRO said.
He also confirmed the arrest of four women described as “informants, girlfriends and cooks” to some of the bandits operating in Katsina State.
He identified those arrested in what he called a sting operation as
Bilikisu Abubakar, 20; Rasikat Amadi, Sulie Dairu, 45, and Rakiyat Yusuf, 20.
“The women were recently arrested in a sting operation and police investigation showed that the women always visited Rugu forest to attend to the needs of the bandits including sleeping with them and they are believed to have strong ties with some leaders of the bandits who are on the police wanted list,” he said.
One of the suspects, Bilikisu Abubakar, confirmed her relationship with one of the bandits, adding that she often followed him on some of his field of operations.
The police also arrested one Shuaibu Abubakar, of Zamane village, Birin-Magaji in Zamfara State, believed to be a supplier of foodstuff to the bandits at the Rugu forest.
The police said that Abubakar was arrested while driving a Toyota pick-up van with registration number XQ 120 YEM, loaded with six bags of rice and 25 jerry cans of vegetable oil, through Rugu forest to Zamfara State.
On related issues of kidnappings and banditry, the PPRO said: “On 13, May, 2019, the command succeeded in bursting and arresting a notorious syndicate of armed robbery suspects that have been terrorising Mani local government of Katsina State.
“On 26, April, 2019, the syndicate armed with dangerous weapons, attacked the residence of one Yushau Mansir of Yantsari village in Mani local government area and robbed him of the sum of N580,000, inflicting injuries on him.
“In the course of investigation, one of the suspects abandoned his phone through which the police were able to trace and arrested the some other members of the syndicate.”