Police Arrest Notorious Kidnappers In Taraba, Recover Arms, Ammunition, Others
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Intelligence Response Team, working with the Taraba State Police Command, have arrested eleven notorious kidnapping suspects for their complicity and various criminal roles in the State.
The arrest of the suspects was contained in a statement issued Sunday, 19 December, 2021 by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO CP Frank Mba.
TheFact Nigeria gathers that the arrest of the suspects followed the deployment of operatives of the Intelligence Response Team by the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba to Taraba State to complement the efforts of the Taraba State Police Command in promptly containing the disturbing trend of kidnapping, armed robbery, and other violent crimes in the State.
Among the victims of the suspects who have been involved in a recent trend of kidnapping incidents in the State, include a serving personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service, as well as a relative of the Emir of Jalingo. The suspects have also been involved in the killing of a police sergeant in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
The Police team equally raided the suspects’ various hideouts in the State, from where they recovered 7 AK47 rifles, 2 Beretta pistols, 121 rounds of live ammunition of different calibre, 4 magazines, masks, illicit drugs and other incriminating items.
The suspects, Luka Adam, Shuaibu Nuhu, Moses Amos, Peters Mashi, Ahmadu Mallam, Adamu Mohammed, Dahiru Mallam Dalha, Gambo Isah, Sanusi Ahmadu, Mallam Mohammed Mauludu and Ibrahim Idi, all indigenes of Taraba State, were arrested by the Police team from their various criminal hideouts.
Police investigations further revealed that the suspects, who have also been on the wanted list of the Taraba Police Command, are members of a notorious kidnap syndicate and have been evidentially linked to the recent upsurge in incidents of kidnapping in the State, including the deliberate and calculated attacks on security personnel.
Investigations also revealed how two of the suspects, Gambo Isah and Sanusi Ahmadu, masterminded the killing of the police sergeant and left a Police Inspector with gunshot injuries in their recent operation to enable them escape arrest having abducted some victims in Jalingo recently.
According to the Force PRO, Investigations revealed that the modi operandi of the suspects involves trailing individuals such as business owners, government functionaries and motorists with flashy and exotic cars, amongst others, to their houses and thereafter planning and executing the kidnap of such persons. They also collect huge sums of money as ransom from relatives and friends of their victims before their release.
Furthermore, the Police in the course of investigations equally identified and raided various criminal hideouts where kidnap victims are usually kept. While caches of weapons and other incriminating items were recovered from the hideouts, all the kidnap victims held hostage at the various hideouts were carefully and successfully rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.
Meanwhile investigators are intensifying efforts at arresting other suspects currently at large.
The IGP, who commended the good people of Taraba State for supporting the Police especially in providing useful information that aided the prompt apprehension of the suspects, assured that the Police will continue to work with all stakeholders in deepening the collective safety of the Taraba people.
IGP Baba while condoling the family of the late Sergeant Ogidi Habu, gave assurances that the Force will continue to sustain efforts at improving public safety in all Nigerian communities.
All the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigations.
