In a continued effort to rid the country off criminal activities, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has arrested some bandits terrorizing parts of the country.
The Commandant of the Corps in charge of theFederal Capital Territory (FCT), Olusola Odumosu while parading the suspects said that his officers, acting on credible intelligence and in collaboration with the 176 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army, arrested 42 suspected bandits and terrorists operating under the cover of being miners of solid minerals.
According to him, the arrest took place on Monday, 12th February, 2024 at about 0600hrs.
He stated that the suspects were intercepted at the forest of Tsaumi Village bothering Lambata in Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State.
The Commandant noted that Preliminary investigation by the Corps revealed that they may not be miners as they presented but rather suspected bandits fleeing the on-going onslaught of the military operation in Zamfara State through the forest zone of Niger State into the FCT, through Gwagwalada Area Council, enroute Pai Village of Kwali Area Council also in the Federal Capital Territory.
“In the course of interrogation, they were unable to disclose the mining site and company name they alleged to be working for,” he said.
Odumosu said that further investigation revealed that the group of young men have been operating within Zamfara, Kogi and Niger States.
At the time they were intercepted, he said, they had no evidence to show they were going on mining activities which suggest they have a sinister agenda.
He however stated that they have also confessed to having sponsors, however investigation in that regard according to him is still on going and the public will be intimated when it is concluded.
Odumosu narrated that the suspects have been cooperating with the corps by giving useful information that will help determine their level of involvement in banditry and kidnapping activities in the FCT.
“When investigations are concluded and their level of involvement in crime is determined, necessary further actions will be taken,” he said.
In the same vein, he said, their operational synergy with the men of Department of State Security Services led to the arrest of one Bartholomew Anthony, a male, 27 years old from Kaura Local government area of Kaduna State. He was arrested at the Mabushi axis of the FCT.
The said Bartholomew Anthony was arrested with the following exhibit:
Pieces of Armoured cables
1 hacksaw
1 Jack knife
1 Techno Bolton handset
Twenty (₦20,000) Thousand Naira cash.
The suspect, the Commandant said, made useful statement that led their operatives to arrest three of his other accomplices: Hakilu Muhammed ‘M’ 25 years old from Shango LGA Niger state, Abdulrahaman Abbas ‘M’ 30 years old from Unguwan Sarki Piako LGA of Niger state, Samila Promise ‘M’ 20 years from Pitiko LGA, Taraba state; all four arrested suspects belong to a syndicate that specialize in vandalization and theft of armoured cables in the FCT.
The FCT Commandant informed that the suspects through their discreet investigators, belong to a vigilante group and hence use their purported membership of the security outfit to commit heinous acts.
“We have profiled them and their statements obtained, they will soon be arraigned in court for justice to prevail.
“I want to assure the residence of the FCT that we will not rest on our oars until we rid the FCT of all criminal elements that want to make the FCT unsafe for habitation.
“I want to also appeal to the general public to report all suspicious persons, as security is everyone’s business,” Odumosu noted.
Comments are closed.