The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 16 suspected kidnappers, three alleged gunrunners and six suspected counterfeit currency dealers, while recovering firearms, stolen property worth millions of naira, livestock and hard drugs during operations across the state over the past two weeks.
The Commissioner of Police, Rabiu Muhammad, disclosed this during a press briefing in Kaduna on Tuesday, saying the command also neutralised several notorious kidnappers in separate operations during the period.
He said the command recovered 10 firearms of different calibres, 190 solar inverters valued at about N69 million, one stolen vehicle, 83 packs of hard drugs, 32 stolen mobile phones, two plasma televisions, 410 cattle and 170 counterfeit United States dollar notes.
According to the commissioner, the successes were recorded through intelligence-led operations carried out in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilante groups.
‘Within the two weeks under review, the Kaduna State Police Command neutralised notorious kidnappers, arrested 16 suspected kidnappers, six suspects found in possession of 170 counterfeit US dollar notes, three suspected gunrunners and recovered 10 firearms of different calibres,’ he said.
Muhammad said operatives arrested a 20-year-old woman, Aisha Barau, in Ramin Kura village on July 21 after she was allegedly caught attempting to exchange suspected counterfeit US dollar notes for naira.
He said the suspect confessed that the fake currency had been given to her by Abdullahi Muhammad and Danbala Jibrin, leading to the arrest of other members of the alleged syndicate.
The commissioner also disclosed that operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested three suspected gunrunners in Jos, Plateau State, following credible intelligence.
The suspects, identified as Luka Samuel, John Paul and Musa Elisha, were allegedly found in possession of two locally fabricated pistols and reportedly confessed to supplying arms and ammunition to bandits.
In another operation, Muhammad said security operatives arrested Abdullahi Mohammed, popularly known as ‘Aala’, during a joint operation involving officers from the Anchau Division and members of the Yan Sa Kai vigilante group in Kargi village.
Police alleged that the suspect confessed to masterminding several kidnappings in Kuzuntu village, Ikara Local Government Area, and parts of Kano State, as well as participating in the killing of two Yan Sa Kai members last year.
Police said an AK-47 rifle and five rounds of live ammunition were recovered during the investigation.
The commissioner further disclosed that detectives from the Anti-Car Theft Section recovered a stolen Toyota Sienna in Zaria shortly after it was stolen from the premises of a Juma’at Mosque in Ungwan Rimi.
He said the arrest of one Mohammed Shehu led to another suspect, Zakari Abubakar, who allegedly specialised in producing duplicate vehicle keys for car thieves.
Muhammad also said police recovered 80 cattle and 10 sheep after engaging suspected cattle rustlers in a gun battle at Damanko village in Zaria Local Government Area.
He added that two livestock owners sustained gunshot injuries before police arrived and are receiving treatment at a hospital.
The commissioner also announced the recovery of 190 solar inverters and 10 lithium batteries from a store in Zaria, adding that investigators suspect the items were stolen from a container in transit.