…As the Command harvests criminals, retrieves arms, ammunition.
by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Nigeria Police, Kaduna State Command, says it has rescued three kidnapped young girls from three fleeing bandits in the State. The three girls were reportedly already placed on N11 million ransoms by their captors.
This was disclosed during a press briefing on success stories on harvest of criminals across the state on Saturday, by Commissioner of Police, CP Musa Yusuf Garba, of Kaduna Command.
The CP, who was represented by the Command’s 2/ic Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Hassan Mansur, said the trio was rescued, while Police Operatives attached to Divisional Headquarters Ikara were on routine patrol.
He said “On the 03/10/2023 at about 2200 hours, while on routine patrol along Ikara to Sayasaya Village, Police Operatives attached to Divisional Headquarters Ikara Kaduna responded to an unusual suspicious movement from a nearby farm, and on approaching the location, three unknown men escaped into the bush, leaving in their wake, three girls.
He continued that “The girls are, namely; (1) Jamima Matthew ‘F’ 19 years, (2) Felicia Sule ‘F’ 19 years, and (3) Kyauta Mamman ‘F’ 17 years, all of Gedage Village of Kubau local government.
“Preliminary inquiry indicates that the three girls were said to have been abducted on the 24/09/2023 from Gedage Village. The escaped suspects arranged with the victims’ families for an eleven million naira ransom to be delivered at the said farm.
“Fortunately, the Police Operatives arrived and rescued them. The girls have been medically examined and have since been reunited with their families.”
Similarly, the operatives attached to Kagarko Division also reportedly foiled armed bandits’ kidnapping attempt, according to the PPRO of the command.
“At about 2215 hours of 21st September 2023, a Police patrol team attached to Kagarko Division, vigilantes and hunters jointly acted on cogent information that suspected armed bandits were sighted at an abandoned farm shade along Dogon Daji community with a possible intent to carrying out a nefarious mission.
“The said hoodlums, on sighting the combined security convoy, retreated on their motorcycles and aborted the mission, as they scampered for safety. Upon a thorough search of the area, a locally fabricated 10 rounds loading revolver shotgun was recovered. The police officers also arrested 2 suspected armed bandits and recovered arms and ammunition.
“Accordingly, the Operatives of the Command from Divisional Headquarters Sabon Gari, Zaria, were on the 22nd September 2023, at about 1530 hours alerted of a suspicious unregistered black Volkswagen Passat vehicle by personnel of the Nigerian Customs Service, along the Zaria-Kano highway.
“The informed patrol team swiftly trailed the said vehicle and accosted the occupants, who identified themselves as Liti Iliya and Garba Luka, both of Angwan Dankande Village, Birnin Gwari Kaduna State.
“When the vehicle was searched, the following exhibits; an AK-47 rifle with 15 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm live ammunitions, a pair of vehicle registration number plates of Ebonyi State HKW 578 AA were discovered hidden in the vehicle’s trunk. Preliminary investigation is ongoing and efforts being intensified to recover more arms and ammunition,” he stated.
“Equally, on the 21st September 2023, at about 1300 hours, credible Intel had it that four numbers of children were in manner akin to child trafficking about to be taken to Lagos.
“Operatives attached to Zaria Area Command, led by the Area Commander, mobilised to the scene, rescued the children and arrested the suspects headed by a certain Habila Magaji ‘M’, a pastor with the Anglican Church Ungwan Kada, Makarfi LGA of Kaduna State.
“The rescued children are, namely; Boniface Monday ‘M’ 16 years, Sentili Ibrahim ‘F’ 15 years, Patricia Marcus ‘F’ 13 years and Justina Ibrahim ‘F’ 8 years. Investigation has since commenced.
“As a mark of the robust synergy among the various security institutions in the State, the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had on the 14/09/2023 transferred a suspect by name Buhari Abdullahi ‘M’ of Sabuwa LGA in Katsina State, along with 448 rounds of 7.62 X 39mm live ammunitions for investigation.
“Preliminary inquiry by the Police reveals that the said suspect, who was earlier apprehended at about 0100 hours of 27 August 2023, along Kaduna-Zaria highway, purchased the ammunitions from Awe, Nassarawa State, and was to deliver same to one Alhaji Ibrahim in Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State, who is now at large. Operatives are on the trail of the fleeing suspect and their accomplices.
“On the 27 August 2023, at about 1300 hours, Operatives of the Command attached to Divisional Headquarters Maraban Jos, Kaduna, acted on credible information about two suspicious persons aimlessly wandering in the Maraban Jos area.
“When they arrested the said persons, who are identified as Abdullahi Abubakar ‘M’ and Jamila Abdullahi ‘F’ both of Kazara Village Tsafe local government in Zamfara State, the two confessed to being ‘on errand’ to purchase arms and ammunitions at Maraban Rido, Kaduna, for one Habu – he is currently at large.
“The Police Operatives from Divisional Headquarters Rigasa, Kaduna, on 20 September 2023, at about 2230 hours responded to an ugly incident, which occurred at Abuja Road, Rigasa, where a certain 35 years’ old Anas Khalid of Fulani Road Rigasa was stabbed and killed with a sharp scissors by one Shamsu Zagi.
“The assailant, who earlier on said they had a financial transaction misunderstanding with the deceased, traced him to his fiancée’s home and attacked him, which resulted to his death.
“The Divisional Headquarters, Afaka, on the 30 September 2023, at about 2830 hours was in receipt of a distress call from Kembus Hotel Mando, that a certain Laklat Adams ‘M’ 20 years’ old of MK Adamu Street, Mahuta GRA Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, was held captive in one of the rooms of the said hotel.
“The Divisional Police Officer led his men from the aforesaid Division to the hotel where they rescued the victim and arrested two suspects, namely; Shemage Bitrus ‘M’ 23 years’ old of Judges Street Gonin Gora, Kaduna, and Indi Hassan ‘F’ 22 years’ old of Primary School Street Gonin Gora, Kaduna.
“The said suspects confessed have to have lured the victim to Kembus Hotel, Mando, on the 29/09/2023 where they held him in captivity to be used for money ritual. Items recovered from them includes, a machete, a facemask, a glass of liquid induced illicit substance and two empty bottles of gin,” he stated.
He said, “Meanwhile, the general area of Kaduna Command is presently under continuous rigorous patrols and surveillance to ensure criminals are not given any undue space to operate.”
CP Musa Yusuf Garba, while commending officers and men of the Command for the arrests and recoveries, warned that any person contemplating committing any form of crime should have a rethink or risk being neutralized or arrested by the well-motivated Operatives of the Command.