Sola Ojo, Kaduna
The Kaduna State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew in Kajuru Local Government area following security breaches in the area. The curfew, which is with immediate effect was announced by the State deputy governor, Mr Barnabas Bala, on Friday in Kaduna.
“Following events in Kasuwan Magani, the dusk to dawn curfew that has been in place in Kajuru LGA has been extended to 24 hours in the entire local government area. The 24-hour curfew in the entire Kajuru LGA is with immediate effect, and will be enforced until further notice.”
The deputy governor directed vigorous enforcement of the curfew and urged citizens to comply and support peace efforts in the area.
Meanwhile, the State Police Command on Friday, said it had in the last few weeks, arrested 36 suspected criminals and recovered 486 livestock from cattle rustlers in the state.
The Commissioner of Police (CP), Malam Ahmad Abdurrahaman, made the disclosure while speaking with journalists on Friday in Kaduna. He attributed the feat to the recently launched ‘Operation Puff Adder’ by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu and “the subsequent confidence building campaign the Command vigorously carried out under my supervision particularly along Kaduna – Abuja Expressway.”
On the Kasuwan Magani crisis in Kajuru Local of area of the state, Abdurrahaman said both human and vehicular movements had been restricted with the imposition of 24-hour curfew on Friday by the state government, adding that the Command had deployed enough security operatives to the affected area to forestall further violence.
The CP said the efforts recorded some successes with the arrest of 36 suspects belonging to different suspected criminal gangs who allegedly terrorize citizens of the State. “It has become expedient that I keep you abreast of the successes recorded in the fight against crime and criminality in Kaduna Command during the few weeks under review. Recently, we have embarked on intensive manhunt of bandits and other criminals that attack people while pursuing their normal businesses within the Command with a view to arresting and bringing all the culprits to book.”
He disclosed that the command within the period under review, recovered 486 livestock made up of 393 cows and 93 sheep from rustlers. The CP said while nine of the suspects were arrested for alleged criminal conspiracy and armed robbery; 18 suspects for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and armed robbery; six of the suspects were nabbed for criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and cattle rustling.
Abdulrahman disclosed that most of the suspects were between the ages 20 and 30. He said among the suspects, was Mohammed Jamilu, 30, who specializes in “defaming high profile personalities by putting his victims in fear of death or grievous hurt through false information that is capable of inciting disturbance to extort money from his victims. The suspect went round meeting clergymen and telling them that the executive Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai had contracted him to eliminate some notable clergymen in Kaduna State. The Police acted on intelligence and arrested the suspect and he has confessed to the allegation. ” He said the operatives from the Command’s intelligence unit recovered from the suspects three AK47 rifles with 27 round of live ammunition, one locally made pistol and one Dane gun.