Police in Zamfara State have arrested 13 suspected bandits and recovered two live rockets propelled grenades, seven operational AK47 rifles, nine magazines and 26 rounds of live ammunition.

Parading the suspects alongside their arms at the state Police Command Headquarters, Gusau yesterday, the Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel, said the Police Mobile Force (PMF) stationed in Tsafe Local Government Area had foiled an attack by the bandits on Hayin Dan Alhaji village. The commissioner said the bandits, if not engaged by the tactical unit of the PMF, would have killed many people in the community.

He said: “The command, through its intelligence gathering sources, had succeeded in the recovery of the said firearms, nine empty magazines from different parts of the state.” Belel also paraded members of a three-man syndicate who specialised in kidnapping. He said: “We identified them as Bashir Muhammad, Abdulhameed Abdulazeez and Umar Nadoki who kidnapped a four-year-old boy in Talata Mafara. They were arrested in possession of N413,000 and other valuables.”

A suspected notorious bandit, Sani Rabiu, of Ajjah village in Mada District in Gusau Local Government Area was also arrested by the Anti-Banditry Squad and was also paraded. He was found in possession of four AK47 rifles and four empty magazines.

“On 10th November, 2018, DPO of Maru Division working on actionable intelligence trailed and arrested Bala Magaji, who is an informant to notorious bandits and kidnappers in the bush. The suspect is in police custody undergoing discreet investigation with a view to arrest other members of his syndicate,” the commissioner said.

Belel called on the public not to hesitate in reporting to the police and or any other relevant sister agency, any information credible enough to lead to either foiling attack on the innocent communities, and or arresting the bandits for prosecution.

• Sourced from a New Telegraph report

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