No fewer than 15 suspects have been arrested by operatives of the Niger State Police Command for allegedly involving in various crimes including banditry, kidnapping, arms dealing, car theft, defilement, rape, thuggery and possession of illicit drugs.
The Niger State Commissioner of Police, Shawulu Danmamman, who made this known on Saturday during a press briefing at the command headquarters in Minna, the state capital, said that four suspected kidnappers were arrested while three locally made guns were recovered by a crack squad of the Command and Nasko Division.
Danmamman said that the operation was carried out with the aid of technical intelligence which led to the arrest of Abubakar Hussaini of Anaba village, Buba Mohammed of Maje village, Mainasara Muhammadu of Takalafia, Ibeto all in Nasko and Ibrahim Abdullahi of Kontagora.
The police commissioner said that the suspects invaded a residence at Isana village via Nasko, Magama Local Government Area and kidnapped a male victim of about 20 years old to an unknown destination.
According to him, the suspects confessed to having collected a ransom of N1.6 million before releasing the victim.
He said that one of the suspects, Buba Mohammed, also confessed to being a member of another syndicate that blocked Genge-Ibeto Road and kidnapped a female victim, gang-raped her by four men, and collected a ransom of N1million.
The commissioner further said that two suspected notorious armed bandits were arrested by the operatives of the command.
He said that based on reliable information, the Crack Squad arrested one Rabiu Yusuf, popularly known as Rabee, at Tungan-Mallam Market area of Paiko in Paikoro Local Government Area of the state.
Danmamman said that during interrogation, Yusuf confessed to a series of kidnapping activities, and that he was a member of the Muware camp of bandits terrorising the Beji, Maikunkele, Bosso, Gawu-Babangida, Sangeku, Bangi, Gulu, and Lapai areas of the state.
The commissioner said that the suspects are under investigation and are cooperating with the police as they are providing more information that could lead to the arrest of other suspects at large.