By MOHAMMAD TIJJANI

The Police Command in Kaduna State said its operatives have nabbed a notorious bandit who was allegedly terrorising Kaduna and Katsina States after 11 years on the run.

The command?s spokesperson, DSP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna.

Hassan said, ?On Friday, 5:30am, acting on credible intelligence, a team of detectives led by the Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, CSP Sani Zuntu, successfully tracked and arrested the notorious gang leader.

?He is popularly known as Mati Bagio 34, of Unguwan Galadima of Shika District, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.?

He explained that the suspect was a notorious bandit leader who terrorised Kaduna and Katsina states along Giwa, Hunkuyi, Faskari, Dandume and Funtua local government areas.

Hassan said, ?He has been on the run for the past eleven years, he was just apprehended at his residence, where a significant cache of arms and ammunition was recovered.?

He disclosed that the items recovered from the suspects included; one AK-47 rifle, one fabricated AK-47 rifle, one pump action gun, two English pistols, two AK-47 magazines, two LAR rifle magazines and four fabricated AK-47 butts.

Others included four AK-47 ammunition rounds, 10 pomp action ammunition, 87 pistol ammunition one machete, two torch lights and one unjamming rod.

Hassan said the arrest marked a significant milestone in the command?s efforts to rid the state of illegal arms and ensure the safety and security of its residents.

He added, ?The suspect is currently in police custody and undergoing further investigation, after which he will be charged to court.

?Also, efforts are being intensified to arrest the fleeing gang members.?

Hassan also disclosed that on Thursday, at about 2:00 am, a distress call was received from the Kaduna command?s Control Room, reporting the snatching of a black Toyota Prado Jeep at gunpoint in Abuja.

He said the vehicle was subsequently tracked and was located near Shema Filling Station in Unguwan Gwari, Kaduna.

?Upon receipt of the intelligence, a patrol and surveillance team from Kawo Division was immediately dispatched to the area.

?The location was swiftly cordoned and the stolen vehicle was successfully recovered.

?Unfortunately, the suspect fled the scene upon sighting the police team,? he said.

According to Hassan, the recovered vehicle had since been towed to the station for further investigation and would subsequently be handed over to FCT Police command where the incident was initially reported.

The spokesperson also disclosed that on Tuesday, at about 2:00 pm, following credible intelligence from a reliable source regarding the activities of suspected motorcycle thieves, a team of operatives led by the Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit swung into action.

Hassan explained, ?They tracked down and arrested one Yusuf Yakubu of Amana Village, Abubakar Jibrin and Mustapha Aliyu at Anguwan Rimi, as well as Yunusa Yusuf from Kujama.?

He said the suspects specialised in attacking, maiming or killing cyclists and dispossessing them of their motorcycles.

Hassan disclosed that during the operation, two stolen motorcycles were successfully recovered.

?All suspects are currently in police custody as investigations continue to uncover other possible accomplices and to recover more stolen property, ?Hassan said.

He said the Commissioner of Police (CP), Rabiu Muhammad, has commended the officers for their swift and timely response.

The CP and also urged the public to continue cooperating with the police by providing credible information to aid the police in combatting crimes within the state. (NAN)

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