Eight suspected kidnappers, including two female informants, have been arrested by police operatives in parts of Bauchi State.
They were nabbed in the month of July in operations which led to the neutralisation of many other suspected kidnappers, while 10 kidnap victims were rescued.
This was disclosed by the State Commissioner of Police, Auwal Musa Muhammad, on Thursday during a press briefing held at the police command headquarters in Bauchi.
The police boss also disclosed that 70 cows, 60 sheep and goats suspected to have been rustled were also recovered during the operations.
According to CP Muhammad, members of a six-man gang, including two females, terrorising Burra in Ningi Local Government Area of the State were arrested on 2nd July, 2023, which subsequently led to the dismantling of their hideout in Burra forest.
During the operation, the CP said many of the kidnappers were neutralised due to the intense superior firepower of the police, while others scampered in disarray and escaped with bullet wounds.
He named the arrested suspects as Hamisu Umaru (30 and disabled); Ahmadu Abdullahi (18); Adamu Wada Tela (18); Usman Iliya (15) as well as Rabi Tela Abdulmumini (female informant) and Hajara Bello (female informant).
“On the 2nd July 2023 the Command successfully arrested six (6) suspected gangs of kidnappers and their informants in which four (4) males and two (2) females, terrorizing Burra village and Ningi LGA were nabbed.
“Consequently, the arrest of the above suspects led to the dismantling of the kidnappers’ hideout situated at Burra forest. Due to the intense superior firepower by the police, so many kidnappers were neutralized, while others scampered in disarray and escaped with bullet wounds.
“Moreover, during the operations the Command had rescued five (5) kidnapped victims from the kidnappers’ den.
“Among them are Mai Unguwan from Kayel village under Balma district, three Fulani from Kurmi with their three (3) motorcycles and a woman and her child from Kurmi village,” the police chief said.
He added that another set of five kidnapped victims were rescued from Burra forest on 31st July, 2023, in an operation in which two suspected kidnappers were arrested, while 70 cows, 60 sheep and goats rustled were recovered.
In another development, the CP disclosed that a team of cattle rustlers terrorising Ningi and beyond was smashed by the police based on information received from a Good Samaritan.
According to CP Muhammad, “on 29/07/2023 information was received from a Good Samaritan that on the same date at about 0300hrs two unknown people armed with cutlasses and sticks trespassed into the house of one Haruna Idi ‘m’, aged 23yrs of Zahi village via Burra village, and beat the occupant to an unconscious condition and made away with his cows.
“On receipt of information, a team of detectives drafted from Ningi Divisional Headquarters swung into action, rushed to the scene and found one of the culprits by name Abubakar Ahmed ‘m’, aged 45yrs neutralized by mob action. They also arrested Abdullahi Ahmadu ‘m’, aged 22yrs and recovered the cows from them.”
