Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Bauchi State Police Command with support from local hunters yesterday neutralised a trans-border kidnapping gang members in Giade Local Government Area of the state.
The state Police Commissioner, Auwal Muhammad, who disclosed this to journalists yesterday, said a team of police and hunters engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel, killing all of them.
The state police boss said the kidnapping gang has been terrorising Burra, Ningi, Jama’are, Itas-Gadau, and Giade LGAs of the state.
According to him, “Taping from the fruits of collaboration with relevant security agencies, on February 11 at about 0200hrs, information at the disposal of the Command indicated that some unknown people numbering about five armed with AK-47 riffles invaded Giade LGA with the sole aim to kidnap innocent citizens in the locality.
He added that: “On receiving the information, a team of detectives in collaboration with Ahmed Ali Kwara Hunters Squad swiftly swung into action and engaged the suspected kidnappers in a gun duel.”
“As a result, all the suspected bandits were neutralised instantly.”
The commissioner further noted that preliminary investigation uncovered that the suspected kidnappers were invited from Bauchi and Taraba States by one Abdullahi whose surname is not yet known.
Mohammed said: “Furthermore, the kidnappers were the same gang who kidnapped one Emeka of Itas-Gadau sometime in 2023 and collected the sum of N10 million as ransom; they also kidnapped one person in Giade and collected the sum of seven hundred and seventy-four thousand naira.
“The suspected kidnappers were not limited to kidnapping and criminal activities but also engaged in a hire-killing of people. They were paid to kill/burn to ashes one Ibrahim Dodo of Baranda village in Jigawa State.”
He also noted that the Command recovered one hundred and three (103) live ammunition 7.62x39mm caliber of AK47 riffle; three live ammunition 9mm caliber; four cartridges; five magazine; two locally made pistol; one AK-47 riffle; one AK-49 riffle, and one locally-made AK-47.
