October 11, (THEWILL) – Sokoto State Police Command says it has arrested scores of suspected bandits, kidnappers, rescued victims and recovered both locally fabricated firearms and an AK-47 rifle between May and October this year.
Parading the suspects in Sokoto, on Tuesday, State Commissioner of Police (CP), Ali Hayatu Kaigama, said their relentless aggressive patrols, raids of criminals hideouts, as well as visible policing community strategies is beginning to yield tremendous achievements.
Giving the accounts that led to the suspects arrest, the Police boss said his men traced footprints of suspected kidnappers to Yabo, Sanyinna and Silame forest of the state.
He added that his men were able to rescue six kidnapped victims and arrested their abductors — (Aliyu Abubakar, Abdullahi Umar and Ayuba Magaji), with one AK-49 rifle, 2 magazines loaded with 15 live ammunition, a locally fabricated pistol with 12 rounds of live ammunition, a Kasea motorcycle and 9 mobile phones.
The police boss also explained that the team equally arrested one Dauda Ahmad, who is suspected to be a renowned bandit and kidnapper, terrorising communities within the metropolis of Sokoto and his gang members, Abubakar Aminu, Abubakar Isa and Samaila Umar after a gun duel, which later led to the death of their leader, Dauda Ahmad.
He also listed those arrested for kidnapping, banditry and firearms recovery to include Isah Abubakar, while Rufai Dani, Yushau Abubakar and Ahmad Bello, all of Sokoto metropolis where intercepted along Birnin Kebbi road with a Sharon vehicle loaded with 12 roles of conductor aluminium wires suspected to be vandalised from electric poles.
“During investigation, the suspects offered the police officers the sum of N800,000 as bribe to enable them escape arrest.
“Upon investigation, they confessed to have stolen the said wires from electric poles located along Sayinna road in Tambuwal local government area of Sokoto.”
The CP further added that the suspects also admitted to vandalising and stealing similar conductor aluminium wires from Sifawa in Bodinga local government as well as Shagari and Wamakko local government worth over N17 million and sold same to one Ibrahim Abdullahi Dafata and Bello Dani Zamzam of Kwanni area, within Sokoto metropolis.
Kaigama added that his men also arrested Rabilu Abubakar, Dani Mohammed, Mustapha Zayyanu and Nura Mohammed, all of Sokoto metropolis for criminal conspiracy, robbery and attempt to commit culpable homicide, when they lured a commercial motorcyclist, Yusuf Mohammed, along Sokoto State University road, strangled him with a rope and dispossessed him of his mobile phone, N7,000 cash and boxer motorcycle.
He called on the public to continue to give useful information to the Police for effective policing, the CP assured that they will continue to do everything professionally to ensure peace and a crime-free Sokoto State.
About the Author
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
