ZAMFARA SECURITY: Police arrests over 250 suspects, recovers weapons, ammunition

*As it commences onslaught against bandits in state

By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau

The Zamfara State Police Command, on its mission to rid the state of criminal activities, has arrested over 250 suspects in banditry-related cases with arms and cash recovered as exhibits.

The success was disclosed in a press statement issued by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Mohammed Shehu, on Wednesday.

It further stated that, “The onslaught since its commencement had resulted in the unprecedented arrest of over two hundred and fifty suspects for Banditry related cases, as well as recovery of Arms and Ammunition ranging from AK 47, AK 49, Rocket launchers, RPGs, GPMGs, Lar and another caliber of sophisticated rifles”.

According to him, the command’s effort has helped tremendously in stabilizing the security of Zamfara, which was hitherto problematic and disturbing.

He maintained that some of the recent achievements recorded included recovering an Ak 47 rifle and three fabricated revolver pistols along the Munhaye forest in Tsafe’s local government area of the State.

“Police Tactical operatives on confidence building patrol along Tsafe – Munhaye forest acted on intelligence report and conducted a rigorous patrol/stop and search to arrest some gun runners who were on their way to Munhaye forest to supply Arms and Ammunition to the bandits.”

He said the gun runners, upon noticing the Police presence, abandoned the sack containing the Arms and Ammunition and fled into the thick forest.

“The Police operatives, while on spot search, recovered the exhibits as mentioned earlier. Drag net has been sprayed to arrest the fleeing hoodlums”.

He further said three fraudsters who specialised in defrauding bank customers at various ATMs in Kano, Kaduna, Katrina, and Zamfara states were arrested.

“On 24th January 2023, Police detectives acted based on complain by one Abubakar Lawali ‘M’ of Talata Mafara LGA. On the same date, while at the Zenith Bank ATM Gallery Talata branch, suspects conspired and defrauded the sum of one million Naira (#1, 000,000) by withdrawing the same from the account through a POS operator via his ATM Card”.

According to the complainant, the suspects succeeded in their action when they offered to help him to withdraw when he could not make the transactions due to a network problem.

“They collected his ATM card and deceitfully withdrew the money from the POS operator. In the interrogation, all the suspects confessed to the crime and further stated how they carried out similar fraud at different banks in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara States, respectively”.

“The sum of One Million Naira (#1, 000,000) cash belonging to the complainant and a suspected Honda Accord Anaconda Vehicle was recovered from them as exhibits”.

He said a discreet investigation is in progress to arrest other members of their gang and charge them to court for prosecution.

“On 24th January 2023, Police detectives acted on an intelligence report and arrested the suspects residing in Bela village under Bungudu LGA. The suspects, before their arrest, were part of a criminal syndicate that gave information to Bandits and supplied all form of dried leaves suspected to be Indian helm and other dangerous drugs”.

“Their actions have continued to aggravate Attacks, Kidnapping, and killing of innocent people of Bungudu, Kaura Namoda, and Birnin Magaji LGAs by the bandits.”

“On 23rd January 2023, Police Operatives, based on an intelligence report, arrested the suspect as mentioned earlier. The suspect has been a member of the criminal syndicate operating in Kaduna, Zamfara, and other Neighbouring states”.

He further revealed that In the course of the Police investigation, the suspect confessed that, on several occasions, he and other members of their gang participated in the Kidnapping of an unspecified number of people and collected millions of Naira as ransom from the relations of the victims.

“The suspect confessed to have rustled an unspecified number of cows and sheep. Suspect will be charged to Court for prosecution as soon as investigation is completed”.

“On 22nd January 2023, Police detectives acted on a complaint from the one Kasimu Abdullahi ‘m’ of Anka and arrested the suspect, as mentioned earlier, for criminal conspiracy and attempted Culpable Homicide against the complainant.

“While the investigation was ongoing, the suspect was equally identified by the family members of the late Abdullahi Nakwada for allegedly killing their father sometime in 2022.

The ongoing investigation revealed that the suspect was among the members of the outlawed group known as “Yansakai” who have been taking laws into their hands by intercepting and killing people and sometime rustling their animals on suspicion of being criminals without informing the police or any constituted authority. Effort being intensified to arrest his gang members and charge them to court for prosecution.”