The Nigeria Police Force Special Tactical Squad has arrested a total of thirty-two (32) notorious suspects for their complicity in the crimes of kidnapping, armed robbery, arms smuggling, illegal possession of weapons, trading in illicit drugs, trans-border car theft, rape, amongst others.
The Force Public Relation Officer Commissioner of Police CP Frank Mba made this known while parading the suspects, Mbah said the Police team equally recovered Nineteen (19) AK47 rifles, one (1) GPMG, three (3) revolver rifles, two (2) G-3 rifles, one (1) SMG, one (1) berretta pistol, four hundred and fifty-three (453) rounds of live ammunition of different calibre, twelve (12) magazines and seventeen (17) stolen cars from the criminals during the follow-up investigations.
Mbah revealed that notable amongst the cases is the arrest of six (6) notorious criminals involved in car theft in different parts of the country particularly Nasarawa, Port-Harcourt, FCT, Kebbi and Zamfara.
The Spokesman explained that “these suspects smuggle the stolen cars through our international borders and deliver same to a major criminal receiver called Alhaji Garuba (still at large) in Niger Republic.
Investigations also revealed that the modus operandi of the suspects include snatching the cars at gun point and sometimes removing the cars from where parked especially crowded car parks like the Cinema, Church and Mosque”.
Mbah also stated that the stolen cars are sold in neighbouring countries at give-away prices and sometimes delivered to Alhaji Garuba in exchange for illicit weapons.
“The INTERPOL unit of the Nigeria Police is already working with their counterparts in Niger Republic to arrest the fleeing suspects in order to bring them to book,” he explained.
Similarly, one 27yrs-old Dayyabu Mohammed of Soba LGA of Kaduna State was also arrested for illegal possession of five (5) AK47 rifles and 250 rounds of AK47 ammunition.
The suspect was arrested during a crackdown on bandits at Saminaka Forest in kaduna State by operatives of STS.
“Investigation shows that Dayyabu Mohammed is an arms supplier to two (2) identified and wanted bandits in the North West and North Central parts of the country,” Mbah added.
The two bandit kingpins were intercepted while ferrying the weapons from Jos, Plateau State in a Golf-3 saloon car to the Bandits in their hideouts located in a forest at Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State.
“Investigations by the Police team revealed that the Golf-3 saloon car was given as an operational vehicle by one of the wanted bandits, with a promise that the full ownership of the vehicle will revert to him on completion of five successful arms delivery missions”.
The Police also arrested of the perpetrators of a recent deadly attack on travellers in the Tafa axis of the Kaduna – Abuja highway where two (2) women and their husbands were abducted by the criminals into the forest.
“The Operatives of the Special Tactical Squad deployed to that area were quickly mobilized and went after the suspects to rescue the victims. The Police operatives eventually identified the hideout of the criminals, launched a rescue mission and successfully rescued the hostages, including the women, unhurt”.
C.P Mbah added that the operatives equally apprehended a gang of six; in connection with the attack on a Mosque in Mazakuka area in Mashegu LGA in Niger State where eighteen (18) people were reportedly killed and more than thirty (30) abducted.
“Investigations by the Police team revealed that the gang leader and some of the gang members are escapees from the Lokoja correctional centre. One was arrested for his criminal role of supplying hard drugs to the gang. Two (2) AK47 rifles, three (3) fully-loaded magazines and various parcels of hard drugs were recovered from them”.
The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali, while commending the team for the successful operations, assured the nation that the Force would continue to close-up on these criminal elements who pose threats to our national security.
The IGP called on members of the public who are victims of car theft to visit the STS office at Guzape, Abuja with proof of ownership to claim the vehicles bearing in mind that the colour, interior and vehicle number plate might have been tampered with.
All the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.
Nnenna.O
