Kaduna State Police Command has detained 11 individuals suspected of kidnapping, seizing locally-made rifles and other items from them.
According to a statement from the command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, released on Thursday, the arrests followed a series of incidents. On August 14, 2024, a district head was abducted but was released two days later.
On September 2, 2024, around 5:00 AM, police in Saminaka, working with local hunters, conducted a raid on three villages in Lere Local Government Area—Maraban Wasa, Gurzan Hakimi Mariri, and Abugan Kurama.
Four suspects were apprehended: Abdulhamid Abubakar (30), Danjuma Luka (25), Ayuba Simon (50), and Idi Saleh (57). Authorities recovered a fabricated single-barrel gun, a green Golf car, a Bajaj motorcycle, and eight mobile phones.
In a related operation on the same day, at approximately 9:00 PM, police set up an ambush at a motor park following credible intelligence on suspicious activities.
This led to the discovery of four fabricated AK-47 rifles hidden within a consignment. Six suspects—Lawal Murtala, Isa Kabiru, Auwal Surajo, Kamala Lawal, Umar Adamu, and Kabiru Liman—were arrested around 5:10 AM the next morning.
Items confiscated included four fabricated AK-47 rifles, two English pistols, two pump-action guns, 24 cartridges, 29 rounds of various calibers of live ammunition, assorted charms, a walkie-talkie, an axe, and ₦908,600 in cash.
On September 3, 2024, around 10:00 PM, police acting on credible information arrested Yahaya Yusuf, a 41-year-old from Kabo Village, Gurara Local Government Area of Niger State, at a hotel in Tafa, Kagarko Local Government Area. Yusuf confessed to involvement in cattle rustling and kidnapping in Niger and Kaduna, and a Tecno cellphone was recovered from him.
The Commissioner of Police for Kaduna State has called on the public to maintain their cooperation with the police and assured that efforts to tackle criminal activities will be increased.
