The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 24 suspected kidnappers and recovered 24 firearms, including three AK-47 rifles, as well as hundreds of rounds of live ammunition across the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Kaduna on Wednesday.

He said the command also recovered two AK-47 magazines, 38 live cartridges and a bag containing charms.

According to him, the achievements were recorded through intelligence-led operations, surveillance, rapid response and collaboration with other security agencies and community-based security structures.

Rabiu said operatives of Operation Fushin Kada attached to Kudan Local Government Area arrested a 45-year-old man, Abdullahi Ibrahim, during a routine patrol along the Maraban Kanja area on September 24.

He said a search of the suspect led to the recovery of two locally made AK-47 rifles, nine locally made long guns, 10 locally made pistols, two AK-47 magazines, 50 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition and 38 live cartridges.

The police commissioner said the suspect told investigators that he obtained the weapons from two individuals identified as Saidu Magari and Mallam Ado, who are currently at large.

In another operation, the command recovered three firearms allegedly linked to banditry and cattle rustling along the Kidandan-Birnin Gwari axis.

Rabiu said the recovery followed intelligence on the activities of one Lawal Umar of Kidandan village, Giwa Local Government Area.

He said operatives of the Vigilance and Criminal Response Unit (VCRU), Zaria, intercepted a vehicle suspected to have been used to transport arms from Nguru, Yobe State, at Dogarawa, Zaria.

The vehicle was found to contain an AK-47 rifle, a Type-06 rifle and an LAR rifle, all with empty magazines.

The commissioner said Umar was still at large, adding that efforts were ongoing to apprehend him and uncover the network behind the movement of the firearms.

He further disclosed that two suspected members of an arms and ammunition trafficking syndicate, Rayyanu Adamu and Nasiru Abubakar, were arrested around Giwa and the railway station axis.

According to him, detectives recovered 270 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and 30 rounds of Type-06 ammunition from the suspects.

Rabiu also said police and vigilantes foiled a bandit attack in Gimi Ward, Makarfi Local Government Area, on September 20.

He said one of the attackers, 20-year-old Usman Alhaji Dahiru, was wounded and arrested, while a locally made rifle, pistol, ammunition and charms were recovered.

On vehicle theft, the commissioner said police arrested two suspects, Hamza Yushau and Abdullahi Abdullahi, at New Panteka while they were allegedly attempting to make a new key for a stolen Hyundai Elantra.

He said the suspects confessed to purchasing the vehicle from one Abdulkadir Yahaya of Zaria, who is currently at large.

Rabiu assured residents that the command would sustain intelligence-led operations against criminals and called on the public to provide timely information on suspicious activities.

“There will be no breathing space for criminals who seek to threaten the peace and security of our communities,” he said. (Daily Trust)