by Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
A suspected member of a notorious kidnapping gang, Sule Muhammad, responsible for the abduction of a District Head on August 14, 2024, has been arrested by the Nigeria Police in Kaduna.
A statement by the State Police Command’s spokesman, ASP Mansir Hassan, on Thursday disclosed that the suspect was arrested with fabricated AK-47 rifle, fifty-eight blocks of Arizona and thirty-three bags of cannabis.
The statement reads: “On 25th December 2024, at about 20:00 hours, acting on credible intelligence, officers from the Saminaka Division, led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), successfully apprehended one Sule Muhammad, a 25-year-old resident of Kargi Village, in Lere Local Government Area.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that, the suspect has been actively involved in multiple kidnapping incidents within the Saminaka area. During the operation, a fabricated AK-47 rifle was recovered from the suspect.
“The suspect confessed to being a member of a notorious kidnapping gang, responsible for the abduction of a District Head on August 14, 2024.
“While the victim was released on August 16, 2024, five members of the gang were arrested at the time. Sule Muhammad managed to evade capture and has been on the run until his arrest on Christmas Day,” it stated.
“In the same vein, on 26th December 2024, acting on credible intelligence, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Makarfi, led his patrol team to a location in Marke Area along the Kano-Zaria Expressway, where three vehicles suspected to be loaded with illegal substances were reported parked and abandoned.
“The vehicles recovered from the scene are: 1. A grey-colored Golf car, 2. A dark blue Golf car, and 3. A red Ford minibus, respectively.
“During a thorough search of the vehicles, officers uncovered 58 blocks of Arizona (AZ) and 33 bags of substances suspected to be cannabis.
“The recovered items and vehicles have been secured, and further investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend the suspects involved in this illegal operation,” the statement stressed.
The Commissioner of Police commends the efforts of the officers for their swift response and assures the public of the Command’s commitment to eradicating the menace of drug trafficking and other related crimes in the state.