Arms Suppliers Lynched, Police Arrest Abductor Of 50 Passengers

An irate mob has lynched suspected fire arm dealers in Ibeto Magama local government area of Niger States as the police arrested one of the abductors of school children and passengers in Tegina and Yakila respectively three years after the incident.

The state commissioner of police Ogundele Ayodeji who disclosed this at a news briefing yesterday said information was received that one Fatima Mohammed of Jamata area of Lokoja, Kogi State was sighted along with an unknown person at a motor park in Ibeto. Both were found to be in possession of one AK-47 rifle with 14 rounds of live ammunition and two magazines.

He said, “Consequently, police operatives attached to Ibeto Police Outstation mobilised with local vigilantes to the scene. Unfortunately, before the arrival of the police team, some aggrieved mob lynched the unknown person and the said Fatima Mohammed to death”.

Ayodeji said the Crack Squad arrested one Salisu Ibrahim aka Babaliya at Kundu village while he confessed that he participated in the attack of NSTA bus along Garin-Gabas/Yakila Road sometime in 2021 where over 50 passengers were abducted.

The CP said, “He (Ibrahim) was part of Ali-Kachala bandits’ camp for two years and Dogo-Gide camp for a year. The case is under investigation.”

Similarly, he said another suspected notorious bandit Mohammed Bello aka Gurusa 31 years of age was arrested and during interrogation, the suspect confessed to aseries of armed robberies along Beji/Zungeru Road which he participated and mentioned other members of the gang as Buga, Sanda and Garba.

He also said based on intelligence received, police operatives attached to the Crack Squad arrested five other kidnappers.