Police Arrest 24 Suspected Kidnappers, Recover 26 Firearms In Kaduna 

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 24 suspected kidnappers and recovered 26 firearms, over 500 rounds of live ammunition, 38 live cartridges and other items in separate operations across the State.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Rabiu, disclosed  during a press briefing on the operational achievements of the command.

Rabiu said the recoveries included AK-47 rifles and magazines, locally made guns and pistols, while suspects linked to alleged arms trafficking, banditry, cattle rustling and other criminal activities were also arrested.

According to the CP, police operatives attached to Operation Fushin Kada in Kudan Local Government Area arrested 45-year-old Abdullahi Ibrahim during a routine patrol around Maraban Kanja on September 24.

He said a search of Ibrahim led to the recovery of two locally made AK-47 rifles, nine locally made long guns, 10 locally made pistols, two AK-47 magazines, 50 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and 38 live cartridges.

Rabiu said Ibrahim told investigators that he obtained the arms and ammunition from two persons identified as Saidu Magari and Mallam Ado, who are currently at large.

In another operation, the CP said operatives of the Vigilance Crime Response Unit (VCRU), Zaria, intercepted a vehicle at Dogarawa, Zaria, allegedly used to transport arms from Nguru, Yobe State.

He explained that the operation followed intelligence on the activities of Lawal Umar of Kidandan Village, Giwa LGA, who was suspected of involvement in banditry and cattle rustling along the Kidandan-Birnin Gwari axis.

According to him, the search of the vehicle led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, one Type-06 rifle and one LAR rifle, all with empty magazines.

The CP also disclosed that detectives attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State CID arrested two suspected members of an arms and ammunition trafficking syndicate operating around Giwa LGA and the railway station axis.

Rabiu said 270 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and 30 rounds of Type-06 ammunition were recovered during the operation.

Similarly, Rabiu said police operatives in Makarfi LGA, supported by local vigilantes, arrested 20-year-old Usman Alhaji Dahiru following an attack by armed men on a resident in Gimi Ward.

He said the attackers fled into the bush after engaging the security team in a gun duel, while Dahiru was wounded and arrested.

The CP said the command would sustain intelligence-led policing, surveillance, patrols and collaboration with other security stakeholders to tackle criminal activities across the state.