The Zamfara Police Command said it has arrested seven suspects for offences related to banditry, arms supply, intimidation and extortion and also rescued 14 kidnapped victims after spending 50 days in captivity.
Addressing newsmen at the Zamfara State Police Command, the police spokesman, SP Mohammed Shehu said there was another set of six suspected criminals arrested for criminal conspiracy, intimidation and extortion.
He gave their names as Jamilu Mohammed of Gadar village, Zayyanu Barmo of Manya Baba village, Abubakar Usman of Mandua community, Lawali Girkau of Girkau village, Sala Girkau and Abubakar Yahaya of Tungar Mani, saying that all of them are from Anka LGA.
According to him, the police operatives recovered the sum of N700,000 naira as part of levies they collected from some villages.
“On 29th November 2022, at about 16:15 hours, Police tactical operatives arrested six suspects who pretended as bandits to place levies on their host communities,” he added.
“As a result, they collected millions of naira through a bank account they created for this purpose.
In the course of investigation, all the suspects confessed to the crime and further stated that part of their criminal activities was to send threatening messages to the villages asking them to contribute and pay money to them or face attack. They further confessed to receiving millions of naira from five different communities.
“Discreet investigations led to the recovery of the sum of Seven hundred thousand naira as part of levies they collected from the affected villages. Effort is being made to make further arrest and recovery before charging them to court for prosecution”
Speaking further, the police spokesman said that a female gunrunner, Game Abdulahi of Madachi village in Katsina State, who specializes in supplying arms and ammunition to bandits operating in Tsafe Local Government Area of the state was also arrested.
According to him: “On 29th November 2022, Police tactical operatives acted on intelligence and arrested the female suspect, a notorious gunrunner that specialises in transporting arms and ammunitions to a notorious bandit kingpin Known as Dawa. The said bandit kingpin has been a notorious bandit leader terrorising the innocent people of Zamfara and neighbouring states. The suspect confessed to her involvement in the crime.”
Continuing, SP Shehu stated that the police tactical operatives in collaboration with vigilantes acted on intelligence regarding the abduction of 15 victims by bandits at Dike village in Funtua Local Government Area of Katsina State.
They subsequently conducted a search-and-rescue operation at Sabon Garin Dustin Kaura forest in Danjibga district of Tsafe Local Government Area.
“The rescue operation was successfully conducted, leading to the rescue of the victims hale and hearty.
The victims were taken to the hospital for medical checks, debriefed by the detectives and handed over to their families,” he said.
Commissioner of Police Kolo Yusuf, while commending the police operatives and vigilantes for the successful rescue operation, congratulated the victims for regaining their freedom, and reiterated the command’s continuous determination to rid the state of criminal activities and apprehend criminal elements committing heinous crimes across the state.
