Police recover 61 Firearms, 376 Ammunition, others
By Paul Michael, Defence Editor
Men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) have arrested about 31 notorious criminals and kidnappers who have been terrorizing, killing, robbing, kidnapping and raping their victims in Kaduna, Borno and Adamawa States.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said two of the suspects identified as Aminu Lawal (aka Kano), and Murtala Dawu (aka Mugala) who were working in synergy with the kidnap kingpin known as Yellow Ashana, confessed to have killed two police officers and a vigilante member in 2021 as well as responsible over the abduction of Greenfield students.
“The Force Intelligence Bureau Special Tactical Squad (FIB-STS) operatives following directives from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc(+), NPM, fdc, to clampdown on the perpetrators of crimes and criminality, as well as cutting off their supply of arms, have successfully effected the arrest of 31 suspects connected with major violent crimes including Kidnapping, Culpable Homicide, Rape, Unlawful Possession of Firearms etc.
“The FIB-STS equally recovered a total of 61 firearms including 41 AK rifles, 8 Type 06 rifles, 4 Light Assault Rifles (LAR), 4 pump action guns, 2 locally made firearms, 1 G3 rifle, 1 dane gun, 376 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, and a cash sum of two million Naira, from the suspects in the course of investigations.
“Prominent among the cases include a case of kidnapping where the duo of Aminu Lawal (aka Kano), and Murtala Dawu (aka Mugala), both working in synergy with the kidnap kingpin known as Yellow Ashana, confessed to the kidnap and murder of two police officers and one vigilante in 2021. They equally confessed to the kidnap of students from the Greenfield University in Kaduna State, the mindless murder of five victims before the payment of ransom, and the eventual release of the others.
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“Intelligence shows that their area of operations includes Dan Hunu, Kekebi, Dan Busha Rido, Maraban Rido, and Kumi Sata, all in Kaduna State. FIB-STS operatives caught up with them in March 2022, after being on their trail upon the mention of their names in connection to the kidnapping of Bethel Baptist School students in 2021,” the statement said.
It also revealed that a five-man trans-border syndicate responsible for kidnapping operations
between Adamawa State in Nigeria, and Burha, Fituha, and Kesu in Cameroun were part of those arrested.
“The gang which comprises Abubakar Mohammed aged 28 years old, Shehu Mohammed aged 38 years old, Abdullahi Ali aged 30 years old, Abubakar Ali, aged 18 years old, and Hussaini Sule aged 18 years old, all males from Mubi, Adamawa State, targets wealthy individuals who possess beautiful houses or cars.
“They confessed to the kidnap and multiple rapes of a newly wedded woman at Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno state whom they released upon receipt of a million Naira ransom. They were apprehended by operatives of the FIB-STS after collecting a ransom sum of 2 million Naira for one Alhaji Moni of Buladega Village on the 11th of May, 2022,” the statement added.
It was also gathered that operatives of the FIB-STS equally apprehended the duo of Umar Muhammed aged 40 years old from Mitchika in Adamawa State, and Musa Buba aged 29 years old from Hong in Adamawa State, who are famous for their kidnapping activities.
“They were arrested at the market, upon credible intelligence that they would be there to buy food items for their kidnap victims. They confessed to many heinous crimes including the killing and beheading of one Alhaji Mai Gome, even after ransom payment had been made,” CSP Adejobi said.
Following the development, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, commended the FIB-STS operatives for the successes recorded.
He assured citizens that all criminal elements will be smoked out of their hiding places and would answer to their crimes in due course while noting that all the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.
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