By Ngozi Uwujare
Operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command have arrested 15 suspected bandits, while several others were killed when the bandits attempted to kidnap innocent victims.
The arrests were made when the police operatives had an encounter with the suspects.
The men of Benue State Police Command, it was gathered, rescued over seven victims and recovered AK47 rifles, including police rifles and 30 rounds of ammunition at Buruku Village of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yekini Ayoku told Saturday Sun that on May 9, 2022, the police operatives conducted routine patrol on Galadimawa road in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He said during the routine patrol, the operatives intercepted a black Lifan Motorcycle being ridden by one Abdulrahaman Adam, a member of the legislative council of Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State representing Kinkiba Ward.
“My men were suspicious of the sack that was being carried on the motorcycle and this prompted a search on it. And in the process, a concealed AK 47 rifles, loaded with six rounds of 7.62´39mm live ammunition was retrieved,” he said.
The suspect, Abdulrahaman Adamu in a chat with the reporter, admitted to committing the offence. Hear him: “I am currently serving as a member of the legislative council of Soba Local Government Area in Kaduna, representing Kinkiba Ward. I got the firearms from my accomplices and I am to deliver to the same bandits around Galadimawa village for their notorious activities.
“They only gave me N100, 000 to get them firearms. I always go to the bandits within my village. It was after the bandits had used my AK47 rifles that they would come and give me my firearms back. Some of my friends are bandits who use the firearms to terrorise Kaduna State. I have cooperated with the police operatives to assist them and took them to some of my friends who are bandits to recover more ammunition from them. This is not my first time, I always give out my firearms to my friends who are bandits to use and return. I started renting it out to them many years ago. But I have never followed them to carry out the operations. It is after they carry out their operations that they would later return my AK47 rifle,” he said.
In another development, the men of the Kaduna State Police Command attached to Zaria Area Command acting on credible intelligence gathering, succeeded in arresting one Rilwana Abdullahi, a 45-year-old man in Damari Village of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State with an AK47 rifle and 600 rounds of 7.62´39mm live ammunitions.
The Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yekini Ayoku said: “The suspect, Rilwana Abdullahi was arrested on March 18, 2022 when the suspect was seen in a suspicious manner around Madachi area of Zaria city and on sighting the police operatives, the suspect attempted to escape but was chased and apprehended.
“Also, the police operatives carried out a search on the Volkswagen vehicle with registration number KNC 816 XC led to the recovery of the rifles. The suspect led the police detectives to another location where another Volkswagen car with Reg No AX 973 LGA was also recovered with some live ammunitions carefully concealed inside the fuel tank aimed at evading the eagle eyes of security operatives,” he said.
CP Ayoku explained further that the police operatives on May 22, 2022 immediately evacuated and rescued seven victims from Toll Gate Division at the State Police Headquarters.
He gave the names of the seven female victims as Godiya James, 30; Beauty Mandela, 23; Elizabeth Markus, 13; Alheri Naibi, 13; Lydia Iliya, six; Bridget Obadiah, four and Amama Hassan, three. All of them, he noted, are of Mai Goro Village, Kachia Local Government Area.
He said they were seen helplessly wandering around the bush after Tsohon Gayan village.
“They were allegedly abducted at the aforementioned village by suspected armed bandits and were taken to an unknown destination. When debriefed, they claimed to have escaped from captivity while the bandits on sentry were asleep,” he explained.
The police boss said that all the rescued persons were stable but weak. He said they have been profiled and taken to a medical facility for immediate medical attention.
He commended the officers and men responsible for the rescue and urged members of the public to always be vigilant and report suspicious persons or objects in their environment to the police.
CP Ayoku said that on May 23, 2022, the police operatives, through intelligence gathering, entered Unguwan Kasko Village of Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State alongside Local Vigilante Group and responded with commensurate fire that resulted in the killing of one suspected bandit. Two AK 47 assault rifles were recovered while several others sustained bullet wounds.
“Also, the command is not unmindful of the security challenges, particularly around Birnin Gwari axis, thus, the command alongside the state government and other security agencies are working assiduously to ensure that the sanctity of human lives are adequately protected at all times,” he said.
CP Ayoku called on all stakeholders and communities concerned to exercise restraint in the way and manner the situation is communicated to the public to avoid aggravating fear in the minds of the people.
He added that security undoubtedly is everybody’s business but said unguarded communication had the potential to mar the ongoing concerted effort being made to attenuate the negative impacts of the challenges to enable farmers make maximum use of this farming season to boost the economy of the state.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, Mr. Mamman Giwa stated that the command has made a lot of breakthrough by tackling the bandits who are terrorising victims along Abuja/Kaduna Expressway.
“With the wealth of experience of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yekini Ajoku, who had given officers bold step and confidence to face the challenges leading to the serious attack on the bandits.
“We have redeployed all our tactical teams to all the flashpoints to make sure we checkmate the criminals. They have been constantly raiding and patrolling both within and outside the state to flush out the bandits. The command is up to the task,” he said.
One of the victims, Ibrahim Salawi spoke to Saturday Sun. said he: “Kaduna State is being badly terrorised by these bandits. We have experienced a lot of kidnapping among ourselves. They kidnapped my father along with the other victims along Kaduna/Abuja Expressway. They collected N1million. They still didn’t release my father; they killed him. It happened in the year 2021.
“We want to thank Allah for the arrest of the person who was handling the supply of AK47 rifles to them on rent and we want justice to be done on the case.”