The war against kidnapping and related crimes embarked upon by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7 Ballah M. Nasarawa in Kaduna State and environs, has led to the arrest of 14 notorious kidnappers.

AIG Nasarawa was recently relocated to Kaduna State by Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase over the spate of kidnapping and other crimes in the state.

Addressing journalists on Friday at the Police Officers Mess Kaduna, AIG Nasarawa said the police has identified many hideouts of armed bandits across the state and equally have a dossier of some renowned car snatchers who usually come to Kaduna and snatch vehicles from innocent citizens.

He said: “14 kidnappers have so far been arrested. Notorious kidnappers in Rigasa area of Igabi Local Government, namely, Rabiu Mamuda, Ahmed Aliyu, Stephen Barde, Aminu Hassan, Usaman Hassan and Ibrahim Gambo have been arrested. Some exhibits including a dane gun and some live rounds of ammunition were recovered from them.

“One Dauda Hassan a kidnapper was arrested in Kafanchan in the southern part of Kaduna State and a locally made revolver was found in his possession.

“Yusuf Musa, Mohammed Tukur Ibrahim and Musa, all suspected kidnappers, were apprehended in Mararraban Jos Kaduna and another notorious kidnapper, Adamu Haruna, who has been terrorising Jere Local Government was also nabbed and is assisting us in our investigation.”

AIG Nasarawa said Buhari Haruna, Salisu Mohammed and Samuel Anyawu were arrested while trying to kidnap one Samuel David at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna.

He said eight suspects – Lawal Usaman, Zakari Yau, Mohammed Sani, Sule Bako, Mustapha Sadiq, Babangida Sule, Usamn Abdullahi and Bako Shaaban – were arrested in connection with the case of the three abducted clerics: Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Dziggau, Rev. Yakubu Talba Dazarma and Rev. Iliya Anto.

The zonal police chief also disclosed that three suspects; Tukkur Yusuf, Bala Ali and Abubakar Isah, have been arrested in connection with the case of the kidnap of Dr. Mansur Ahmed, Executive Director of Dangote Group and former Managing Director of Kaduna Refinery. He said that one AK 47 rifle with 16 rounds of live ammunition, Nigerian currency, foreign currencies, a motorcycle and three passport photographs of the victims were recovered from the suspects.

“One Bashir Aliyu and Ahmadu Aliyu are also in police custody over the case of the kidnap of Pastor Elijah Afolabi and Abdul Aminu lost his life in the exchange of fire during the arrest while two cell phones were recovered from them,” AIG Nasarawa said.

He said a team of investigators sent by the IGP, the command’s criminal investigation department and the military are working on the case of late Col. Samaila Inusa.

On cattle rustlers, the AIG said one Tukur Usman was arrested on Thursday and 71 cattle and 38 sheep were recovered from him.

According to him, “239 other suspects were apprehended in various raids carried out in some identified locations in the entire state. A total of 458 suspects are currently in our custody and are being interrogated and profiled and five AK 47 Rifles with many rounds of different types of ammunition have been recovered.”

On car snatching, the AIG said one Bako Shaaban was arrested in Rigasa trying to sell a 4-Runner Jeep with Reg No GGE AM which he snatched from Abuja.

•Photo shows AIG Ballah M. Nasarawa.

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