Following intense operation, police have arrested seven suspected kidnappers who were terrorising Abuja-Kaduna highway.
A former board member of the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Zakari Mohammed Sada, was kidnapped along the expressway on Saturday and released two days after after payment of ransom.
Earlier on Friday, gunmen suspected to be kidnappers opened fire on travelers around the same area of the expressway, killing a woman.
Spokesman for the Nigeria police, Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement that the suspects volunteered confessional statement and admitted to the various criminal roles they played in the kidnaping of travellers along the road.
Read the full statement…
It would be recalled that concerned with cases of kidnappings, armed robberies and other violent crimes on Abuja-Kaduna road, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni, early June made additional Deployment of Six hundred (600) Police personnel of Special Intervention Forces, comprising Intelligent Response Team (IRT), Special Tactical Squad (STS), Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Anti-Kidnapping Units, the Police Mobile Force (PMF) and the Counter Terrorism Units to root out these vicious and notorious kidnap for ransom and armed robbery gangs that were responsible for many kidnappings and armed robberies along Abuja-Kaduna Highway and also identified to be responsible for other violent crimes in the FCT, Niger and Kaduna States.
Consequently, on the intense operations to curtail the kidnapping and other violent crime, on the 19thJune, 2017 eight (8) principal suspects were paraded after preliminary investigation revealed that they were responsible for several kidnappings, armed robberies and cattle rustlings on Abuja/Kaduna Highway. All the suspects confessed to the offence and investigation is being concluded into the various crimes against and they will soon be arraigned in court.
In furtherance of these operations, the Police Special Forces led by the Intelligence Response Team on the 8thJuly, 2017 and 9th July, 2017 working on available intelligence swooped on kidnappers dens in Gwagwada, Kangimi and Katari villages in Kaduna State and arrested all the above mentioned suspects and recovered from their possession the fire arm and ammunition listed above.
They volunteered confessional statement admitting to the various criminal roles they played in the kidnapped for ransom of motorists, travellers and others innocent people along Abuja/Kaduna Highway. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation.
The Nigeria Police Force in its renewed determination to prevent crimes and criminality throughout the country will not relent in ensuring that crimes that cannot be prevented are promptly detected to serve as effective deterrent to who will be criminal.
These operations along Abuja-Kaduna Road will be sustained to ensure adequate safety of life and properties of all Nigerians.
Similar operations across the Highways and major Roads in the country are being pursued with similar vigour and will equally be sustained.
SUSPECT:
i. Ibrahim Gurgu 45yrs Native of Gwagwada village Kaduna, principal suspect
ii. Abdulazeez Idris 40yrs native of Kankara LGA Katsina State, principal suspect
iii. Shuaibu Ibrahim aka Kadi 29yrs native of Kangimi village Kaduna State, principal suspect
iv. Ibrahim Isiyaku 30yrs native of Gwagwada village Kaduna State, principal suspect
v. Usman Datti 30yrs native of Gwagwada village Kaduna principal suspect
vi. Kabiru Musa 27yrs Native of Dandume LGA Katsina State, principal suspect
vii. Haruna Umar 24yrs native of Dandume LGA Katsina State, principal suspect
EXHIBITS
i. Ak47 Rifle
ii. Two (2) locally made pistol
iii. Thirty (30) rounds of live Ammunition
iv. One (1) magazine
v. Two (2) military camouflage
vi. Three (3) Cutlasses
vii. Charms
CSP JIMOH MOSHOOD
Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters,
Abuja