15 Suspected Bandits Arrested In Niger

Niger State Police Command has arrested 15 suspects for banditry and other criminal  activities in the state.

The commissioner of police in charge of the command, Shawulu Ebenezer Danmamman, disclosed yesterday that the command also recovered various arms and ammunitions from the suspects.

He said based on credible information it received that some suspected armed men stormed a settlement at Tuna village via Gawu-Babangida, Gurara local government area, a combined tactical team and vigilante men led by DPO Gawu Division mobilised to the scene, and in the process, one Abdulrahman Abubakar was arrested, with a cut-to-size locally fabricated AK-47 rifle and a magazine, while others escaped from the scene.

The commissioner said during interrogation, he mentioned one Hari, Isyaku, and Suleiman, all of Tuna village as his gang members and said that the rifle belonged to his brother named Rabo of the same village.

Similarly, he said information was received that four suspected kidnappers threatened a businessman of Bako-Mission village, Pissa District of Borgu local government area to drop N3 million within three days at a particular location around Tunga-Umoru village, via Pissa District or be kidnapped.

Danmamman said, “Immediately this information was received, the Police tactical team, including vigilante members led by the DPO New-Bussa Division swung into action, mobilized to the purported location, adopted appropriate operational strategy and engaged the kidnappers in a gun battle, while one female victim of about 22yrs earlier kidnapped was rescued unhurt.”

“Fortunately, the team combed the bush and one of the bandits was neutralized during the gun battle and his AK-47 rifle with an empty magazine was recovered. Other members of the gang fled the scene with various gunshot injuries and a concerted effort is ongoing to nab the fleeing outlaws,” he added.

He said based on information received that one Nuhu Abdullahi of a poultry farm, Sabon-Wuse area of Tafa LGA was suspected to be among the hoodlums terrorising the area, the Police operatives attached to Tafa Division with Tactical Support Team (TST) led by DPO Tafa mobilized to the poultry farm along Garam/Bwari Road via Sabon-Wuse and arrested Nuhu Abdullahi, Yahuza Isa , Mohammed Adamu.

He said after the arrest a search was conducted and a total of 295 rounds of live ammunition of AK-47 rifle were recovered, hidden in different bags of grains within the farm while Ibrahim Abdullahi was arrested for providing money to buy the guns and ammunition.