Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested 254 suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, and cultists in the last two weeks.
Force spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who paraded some of the suspects in Abuja on Tuesday, said the Force recorded remarkable achievements across the country with the arrest of 92 armed robbery suspects, 153 suspected kidnappers and nine suspected cultists, and the rescue of 35 kidnapped victims, recovery of seven stolen vehicles, recovery of 44 arms and 477 ammunition of various calibres.
Adejobi said a total of 34 arrested suspects were paraded with seven Ak-47 rifles, nine automatic pistols, 1804 rounds of live ammunition, a PoS machine, assorted illicit drugs, and one Mazda Saloon Car.
He said the NPF was confident that the aggregate of personnel efforts towards combating crimes will, in no time, herald a more secure and peaceful Nigeria.
While giving details of some of the cases, Adejobi said on 9th February, 2024, police operatives received intelligence on the activities of a syndicate of Trans border gunrunners operating in Plateau State to other parts of the country and, by extension, supplying arms and ammunition to some criminal elements beyond the borders of the country.
The operatives utilized this information and arrested the following principal suspects: Mahos Jatau Mancha a.k.a Adis, Justin Abugieye a.k.a Austin, Joseph Zingkur Ayuba a.k.a Zed, Davou Chuwang and Yakubu Benedict Bonat a.k.a VIP.
He said, “During investigation, it came to light that the said Justin Abugieye is a trans-border arms and ammunition supplier based in Obudu LGA of Cross River State, who usually gets supplies of AK47 rifles, ammunition, and rocket launchers from the Mahos Jatau Mancha, Joseph Zingkur Ayuba, Davou Chuwang, Yakubu Benedict Bonat, all of Plateau State, and in turn supplies same to some rebels and other criminal elements in a neighboring country.
Also, on February 12, 2024, police operatives received intelligence of a group of persons suspected to be involved in arms dealing and kidnapping at Sutai, Bali LGA of Taraba State.
The operatives arrested two persons, Modo Haruna, 28, and Buba Ruwa, 30, both Taraba State.
The police said, “Subsequent interrogation and investigation revealed that Buba Ruwa had been in possession of 12 Ak-47 rifles about two years ago, but was intercepted by police operatives while returning from an operation and had fled and managed to escape with just two Ak-47 rifles. The other suspect, Modo Haruna, confessed to being in possession of a single Ak-47 rifle and also belonging to a syndicate that specialises in gun running and cattle rustling.
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