Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia
The Nasarawa State Police Command yesterday paraded 17 kidnap suspects so far arrested at different locations across the state in the month of April, this year.
The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, paraded the 17 kidnap suspects, alongside other 19 suspected criminals arrested during the month, on behalf of the state Commissioner of Police, Maiyaki Babs in Lafia.
Nansel said that the suspects were arrested during various operations across the state between February 10 and April 19, based on intelligence.
He said that five victims were rescued unhurt from the various operations, with four arms and eight rounds of live ammunition recovered from the suspects.
Nansel said investigation revealed that some of the suspects were responsible for the series of kidnapping on Nasarawa Eggon-Akwanga road, parts of Lafia and environs as well as in the southern axis of the state.
A breakdown of the other 19 suspected criminals arrested, according to DSP Nansel, included five armed robbery suspects and two suspected cattle rustler, while four firearms and eight rounds of ammunition were equally recovered from the suspects during their arrest.
“The police command carried out a joint operation in collaboration with military personnel and vigilante at Alogani/Eggon Hill where four kidnapped victims were rescued and six suspected kidnappers,” the PPRO said.
He gave names of the four suspected kidnappers arrested and currently in Police custody to include: Haruna Ibrahim, Umar Ibrahim, Yakubu Haruna, Rabiu Adamu, Adamu Mallam Musa and Abdulkadir Ibrahim.
However, he disclosed that two other kidnap suspects arrested and one AK 47 rifle that was recovered was in the custody of the military.
“A complaint was lodged by Alhaji Bello of Okpata village, Doma LGA, that his son went on cattle rearing but was attacked by unknown criminals and 120 cattles were rustled to unknown destination.
“A manhunt for the rustlers was launched. Consequently, one Lawal Iliyasu and Abdullahi Karimu were arrested with the stolen cattles in Kogi State. Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to have conspired with one Witti Bodo ‘M’ of Okpata village to carry out the act,” DSP Nansel said.
The PPRO, however, assured that the Command under CP Maiyaki Baba shall sustain synergy with sister security agencies and vigilante groups in the state and carry out onslaught against all criminals until crime is reduced to its barest minimum.
