Kaduna State Commissioner of Police (CP), Umar Shehu, on Wednesday, marked his first month in office parading armed robbery suspects among others. But he confessed he had not been able to make any arrest over the attack that killed scores of villagers in Kaura Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, and the banditry that almost on daily basis happens in communities in Birnin Gwari LGA.
Asked whether any arrests had been made over the killings in three villages in Kaura LGA on March 14, the police boss said: “No, we have not made any arrest. Investigation is still going on. And we are on the trail of the killers. But all stakeholders in the areas concerned will be holding a meeting very soon, so we can find an end to this problem”.
Parading the suspects, Shehu said that on March 18, operatives attached to Kawo Division acted on a tip-off and arrested two suspected car snatchers at Unguwan Kanawa, Kaduna while driving a Mercedes Benz (ML 320 Jeep) with registration number Kano AE 883 BCH, dark green in colour. According to him, during interrogation, the two suspects, identified as Babangida Ibrahim (27) – a dismissed soldier – from Rigasa, Kaduna and Umar Haruna, 25, of Sabon Wuse, Niger State, are specialists in snatching vehicles at gun point.
“Thorough investigation of the suspects led to the recovery of seven exotic stolen cars”, the police boss said.
The cars, which included a Toyota Highlander, Mercedes Benz Jeep, and an Aved LT Shanroler, were displayed at the Kaduna State Police Command premises.
The CP also said that one Sambo Bature, 32, of Kakuri, Kaduna was arrested by operatives attached to the State Intelligence Bureau, Kaduna after being found with a MAR rifle No. O63279SM.64. He said that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to have stolen the rifle from his father with the intention of selling it for N35,000 to one Simeon Adamu of Nasarawa, Kaduna.
Three armed robbery suspects, namely, Adamu Mallam, 20, Samaila Abubakar, 25, and Ada Bello, 20, were paraded.
Said Shehu: “On March 24, the police patrol team attached to Jere Division, while on routine patrol along Abuja – Jere – Kaduna Expressway, intercepted the three-man armed robbery gang riding on a motorcycle. When searched, the following were found on them: A locally made revolver pistol; a police barrette, pistol No: NP 10000089 and six cartridges. Others are a 9mm live ammunition, a sharp cutlass, one face mask, some charms and two Daylong motorcycles”.
The CP said that the State Police Command arrested 43 suspected vandals cutting off rail lines and selling them. Among the suspects was Musa Abdullahi, 51, the village head of Soko, in Makarfi LGA of Kaduna State. Abdullahi and most of other suspects are staff of the Nigeria Railway Corporation attached to the Zaria Rail Station, Kaduna State.
The suspects were paraded with their work tools including, giant size gas cylinders, cutters and saws.
“The staff of the Railway conspired with one Nuhu Ibrahim and Muktar Rabiu who receives the stolen property in Kaduna”, he stated.
Abdullahi, said, “We do not go cutting existing rail-lines used by trains. As staff of Railway, we know where abandoned rail-lines exist. These are the ones we cut. We sell each line for N16,500. I did not know that it was such a huge crime”, he lamented.
Also paraded was one Iliyasu Adamu, 35 of Karu Mararaba, Nasarawa State found with an AK 49 rifle, 14 rounds of ammunition, 13 cows and nine sheep.
Shehu narrated, “On March 24, information received from a good Nigerian led to the arrest of the suspect after a combined team of police operatives and vigilante mobilised to the area. One Ali Mohammed, who was with him, took to his heels.
These may be the cattle rustlers or the Fulani that invade villages, as the suspect said he got the gun from fighting in Benue State. And you know this Fulani/Tivs problem is still on.
“Let me use this medium to reiterate that the Kaduna State Police Command will not relent in its fight against criminals and criminality throughout the state.
Members of the public are once again urged to continue to report suspicious movements and characters noticed in their areas to the police for prompt action”.
