The Katsina State Police Command has arrested at least 15 suspects for kidnapping, fraud and other crimes in the state based on credible intelligence.

The suspects were paraded at the Command Headquarters, Katsina on Friday by the Police Spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq.

Among them were four suspected members of a notorious kidnap-for-ransom syndicate who were arrested on different dates and times in April.

Also in the lineup paraded were 10 suspected notorious fraudsters that specialised in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public using counterfeit currencies.

The suspects were arrested with credible information about their activities in a house situated at Bakin Kasuwa quarters, Kankia LGA.

The command also paraded a 30-year-old suspected notorious member of a kidnap-for-ransom syndicate terrorising Faskari Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina and its environs.

The suspect, Identified as Lawal Alhaji Idris of Shuwaki village, reportedly confessed to the commission of the offence during police interrogation.

He added that his cohorts, who remain at large, included Tsoho Danfulani (m), Miyalla Danfulani (m), and Zaharaddini Danyaro (m), all of the same address.

The items recovered from the suspects included three rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, a bottle containing liquid suspected to be mercury and 144 pieces of suspected counterfeit N1,000 notes with the suspects admitting to having committed the crimes.

See the full statement below:

1. ARREST OF THREE (3) SUSPECTED NOTORIOUS KIDNAPPERS AND THE RECOVERY OF THREE (3) ROUNDS OF 7.62 MM AMMUNITION: On different dates and times in the month of April 2023, the command succeeded in arresting the following: (1) Haruna Mohammed, m, 30 years old; (2) Yahaya Alhassan, m, 28 years old; (3) Idris Isah, m, 30 years old; all of Jigawa state; and (4) Zuhairu Umar, m, 25 years old, of Turaki village, Baure LGA, Katsina state, members of a suspected notorious kidnap for ransom syndicate.

On the 1^st of October, 2022, the suspects conspired with three other suspects, namely, (1) Rago, (2) Garba Margododo, and (3) Idris, all of Ringim in Jigawa state, now at large, to attack the residence of one Alhaji Sidi Usman, m, of Unguwar Rai village, via Baure LGA, and kidnap his wife along with her three (3) month old baby. Upon receipt of the report, our detectives promptly swung into action and succeeded in tracking and arresting the aforementioned suspects. In the course of the investigation, suspects confessed to the commission of the offense, as three (3) rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition were recovered in their possession. Investigation is ongoing.

2. ARREST OF A SUSPECTED NOTORIOUS ARM BANDIT: On August 28, 2023, at about 1730 hrs, the command succeeded in arresting one Lawal Alhaji Idris, ‘m’, aged 30 years, of Shuwaki village, Faskari LGA, a suspected notorious member of a kidnap for ransom syndicate terrorizing Faskari LGA and its environs.

During the course of the investigation, the suspect confessed to the commission of the offense and mentioned the following as his cohorts: (1) Tsoho Danfulani, m; (2) Miyalla Danfulani, m; and (3) Zaharaddini Danyaro, m, all of the same address, now at large. In his revelation, he confessed to being the mastermind behind the kidnapping of one Alhaji Hussaini, m, of Shuwaki village, Faskari LGA, in the process of which one person was shot and killed, and also attempted to kidnap one Alhaji Musa, m, of Gidan Dan Gwamna village and stole beans. Effort is on with a view to arresting other fleeing members of the syndicate. Investigation is ongoing.

3. ARREST OF TEN (10) SUSPECTED FRAUDSTERS AND THE RECOVERY OF ONE HUNDRED AND FOURTY-FOUR (144) PIECES OF SUSPECTED COUNTERFEIT NAIRA NOTE: On August 28, 2023, at about 0800 hrs., based on credible information, the command succeeded in arresting (1) Alhaji Ali Yau, m., aged 67 years old. (2) Alhaji Alhassan Suleiman, m, aged 35 years old, of Kwarbai Quarters, Zaria LGA, Kaduna State (3) Bello Abubakar, m, aged 58 years old, of Dogon Rimi, Kamba LGA, Kebbi state (4) Aliyu Usman, m, aged 35 years, of Bakin Kasuwa quarters, Kankia LGA, (5) Uzaifa Ishaq, m, age 48, of Dorayi Kano State, (6) Kabir Ibrahim, age 40, of Bakin Kasuwa Quarters, Kankia LGA (7) Babangida Abdullahi ‘m, aged 40, of the same address (8) Nasiru Mani ‘m, aged 48 years, of Malamawa village, Matazu LGA, (9) Mansur Abubakar, m, age 55, of the same address, and (10) Ukashat Sulaiman, m, aged 25 years old, of Mai Hausawa quarters, Kamba LGA, Kebbi state, suspected notorious fraudsters that specialized in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public using counterfeit currencies.

Nemesis caught up with the suspects when credible information about their activities in a house situated at Bakin Kasuwa quarters, Kankia LGA, was received. Promptly, detectives swung into action and succeeded in arresting the aforementioned suspects. During a search conducted in the house, a bottle containing liquid suspected to be mercury and one hundred and forty-four (144) pieces of suspected counterfeit naira of one thousand denomination were recovered in the suspects possession as they confessed to the commission of the offense. Investigation is ongoing. (Channels TV)

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