Police arrest 11 ‘bandits’ in Kaduna, recover weapons

The police command in Kaduna says its operatives have arrested 11 suspected bandits terrorising some parts of the state.

Mansir Hassan, the police spokesperson in Kaduna, said in a statement that the operatives carried out the arrest in collaboration with local hunters in Saminaka, Lere LGA.

Hassan added that some of those arrested were responsible for the abduction of a district head on August 14.

The police spokesperson said operatives recovered a fabricated single-barrel gun, a green golf car, a Bajaj motorcycle, and eight mobile phones from the suspects.

“On September 2, 2024, at about 0500hrs, police operatives from Saminaka, working alongside local hunters, raided three different villages in Lere LGA—Maraban Wasa, Gurzan Hakimi Mariri, and Abugan Kurama—based on credible intelligence,” the statement reads.

“Five suspects were arrested: Abdulhamid Abubakar (also known as Bala), 30, Danjuma Luka (also known as Uba), 25, Ayuba Simon, 50, and Idi Saleh, 57.

“Later on the same day, officers conducted a search at a motor park, leading to the discovery of four fabricated AK-47 rifles hidden within a consignment.

“Additional items recovered included two English pistols, two pump-action guns, 24 cartridges, 29 rounds of live ammunition, assorted charms, a walkie-talkie, an axe, and N908,600 in cash.

“Six more suspects—Lawal Murtala, Isa Kabiru, Auwal Surajo, Kamala Lawal, Umar Adamu, and Kabiru Liman—were also arrested.”

Hassan added that on September 3, Yahaya Yusuf, a suspected bandit, was arrested at a hotel in Tafa, Kagarko LGA, following credible intelligence.

He said Yusuf confessed to being involved in cattle rustling and kidnapping in Niger and Kaduna states.

Hassan urged the public to continue cooperating with the police to help combat crime in the state.