Police Arrest 186 Suspected Kidnappers In October

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said it arrested 186 kidnapping suspects in October 2024.

The police also said 371 armed robbery suspects, 242 murder/homicide suspects, 63 suspects connected with the unlawful possession of prohibited firearms, 217 rape suspects, 167 suspected cultists were all arrested during the same period.

This is even as the Nigeria Police Force said it rescued 64 victims of kidnapping across the country in the same period.

The Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who stated this while parading some of the suspects in Abuja yesterday, said  210 various firearms, 3,172 ammunition of various calibres, 118 stolen vehicles were all recovered.

While giving a breakdown of some of the arrests, the Force PRO said in Delta State command, the police arrested 52 suspects including; 34 suspected kidnappers, 12  suspected cultists, two suspected fraudsters and four suspected gunrunners.

In FCT, the police trailed and arrested four notorious kidnappers who have been terrorising the Federal Capital Territory namely: Yau Sani, a.k.a. Baba (an ex-convict), Nuhu, a.k.a. Giwa, Kabiru Mohammed, and Yusuf Hassan, at their criminal hideout in Sauka, Abuja and the suspects confessed to being responsible for series of kidnappings within the FCT and its environs, and the killing of seven victims in the process.

These gangs have launched attacks in Dakwa, Dawaki, Aco estate, Dupe Village Zuma Rock, Kuchiko village and some villages in Niger and Kaduna. They also led police operatives to another hideout in Gauraka Forest, Suleja, Niger State, where they dug out four AK-47 rifles, 13 AK-47 magazines, and 162 rounds of 7.6 mm live ammunition.

In Borno State command, on the 25th of October 2024, the Command Crack Squad coordinated a covert operation in Chingowa Village, Konduga LGA, Borno State, which led to the arrest of six suspected kidnappers identified as Modu Bindimi, Koso Modu Gana, Kassim Bulama, Isah Muhammed, Zarami Fantami and Modu Bunu.

The Force PRO said the suspects were found in possession of one pump action rifle, one live cartridge and other dangerous weapons, with the cash sum of N2,637,000. Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to being responsible for several armed robberies and kidnapping incidents in Magumeri and Konduga LGAs, as well as forceful extortion in the form of tax from the villagers, to spare them from their criminal operations.