Police Parade 93 Suspected Kidnappers, Armed Robbers, Recover 35 AK47 Rifles, Other Weapons

The Nigeria Police Force on Thursday paraded 93 suspected
kidnappers and armed robbers terrorizing Niger, Katsina and Kaduna
States, especially Kaduna-Abuja highway.

It said 35; AK47 Rifles, 21 Dane Guns, 500 live ammunition and a
host of other weapons including a Rocket launcher were recovered
from the suspects.

Parading the suspects at Katari village along Kaduna-Abuja
highway, the Force Spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, said the 93 suspected
kidnappers and armed robbers were arrested within the past two
weeks in joint operations in Kaduna, Niger and Katsina States.

According to Mba, 35 AK47 Rifles, 21 Dane Guns and more than 500
live ammunition were recovered from the suspects.

The Force Spokesman attributed the successful arrests and
seizures to Operation Puff Adder launched to clear criminals away
from Kaduna-Abuja expressway and Nigeria at large.

DCP Mba who was flanked by the Kaduna State Commissioner of
Police, Aji Ali Janga said, the joint operations comprised
policemen from operations, intelligence, technical, counter
terrorism and special protection units among others.

He said that the operation was designed largely to tackle
kidnapping, robbery and banditry giving Nigerians sleepless nights,
adding that the successes recorded so far were huge.

According to him, “The suspects were arrested from Matari
Forest, Niger axis and some were pursued to as far as Katsina.

“We are determined to descend very hard on criminals. We
recovered 37 AK 47 rifles, 12 locally made guns, a revolver pistol,
60,000 fake US dollars, military uniforms and a foreign made
pistol.

“Few days ago, the IG rolled out new counter kidnaping strategy,
it would also help us curtail such criminality in Nigeria,” Mba
said.

The Force spokesman reiterated that, the Office of the Inspector
General of Police provided supervisory and supportive roles to the
entire operations.

However, Kaduna Police Commissioner Janga in his own remarks
assured farmers in Birnin Gwari and other volatile areas that it is
now safe for them to return to their farms.

According to him, the new operations, being conducted in synergy
with all the commanders of various units have achieved tremendous
success.

“Farmers who farm along Kaduna-Abuja expressway, Birnin Gwari
and other volatile areas can go back to their farms, it is now
safe”, Janga said.

One of the suspects arrested Isah said, it was his first time of
committing the crime, and that, he has never collected any ransom
before his arrest.

Another suspect, Salisu Abubakar, who claimed to be a cleric,
said he was aware that his clients belonged to criminal gangs, but
that he only supported them with “goodluck charms.” but he has
never participated in the crime.

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