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Recover 109 anti-aircraft ammunition in Katsina
From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau
Zamfara Police Command has rescued 97 kidnapped victims including 7 pregnant women, 19 month old baby and 16 children after 3 months in captivity between Shinkafi and Tsafe local government areas of the state.
This is as the police command in Katsina, said it recovered 109 Anti-Aircraft Ammunition (AA) and arrested 999 suspects in various operations across the state in 2021.
Receiving the victims at the state Police headquarters, Gusau, Tuesday, Commissioner of Police, CP Ayuba Elkana, said the success was achieved following receipt of credible information that kidnapped victims were seen stranded in the bush.
CP Elkana said the success was achieved following an intensive pressure mounted as a result of the ongoing military operations around the camp of a notorious bandits’ kingpin known as Bello Turji that covers Shinkafi, Zurmi and Birnin Magaji local government areas of the state.
“On the 3rd January, 2022, Police Tactical Operatives deployed at Shinkafi axis received an intelligence report that, some kidnapped victims were seen stranded in the bush. The Police Operatives in collaboration with genuine repentant bandits and Vigilante group swung into action and rescued 68 victims in the forest.
“The victims were in captivity for over 3 months and they included 33 male adult, 7 male children, 3 female children and 25 women including pregnant/nursing mothers respectively. The victims held from Magarya, Maradun, Gusau of Zamfara State and Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto State”, CP Elkana has added.
He further informed that, on the 3rd of January, 2022, Police Tactical Operatives deployed in Tsafe axis had acted on credible information and stormed Kunchin Kalgo forest in Tsafe LGA and rescued 29 kidnapped victims unconditionally.
“The victims were kidnapped by bandits kingpin known as Ado Alero for over 60 days from 3 villages including Adarawa, Gana, and Bayawuri in Rijiya district of Gusau local government area. They included 25 female including pregnant/nursing mothers and 4 male children”, CP Elkana has stated.
Meanwhile, the police command in Katsina, says it recovered 109 Anti-Aircraft Ammunition (AA) and arrested 999 suspects in various operations across the state in 2021.
SP Gambo Isa, the spokesperson for the command, disclosed this when he spoke with newsmen on Tuesday in Katsina.
Isa said that the command also recovered various arms and ammunition during the period.
He listed some of the arms to include four GPMG, 44 AK-47 rifles, one LAR rifle, one G3 rifle, 20 locally made guns and 689 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
Isa said that 1,243 domestic animals including 867 cows, 352 sheep, 24 goats and one donkey were also recovered.
“Some of the suspects include armed robbers, kidnappers, cattle rustlers among others, a total of 157 suspected armed robbers were arrested and 145 of the suspects were charged to court while the remaining 12 are under investigation.
“Also, 65 suspected kidnappers were arrested and 63 charged to court while the remaining two are under investigation.
“We succeeded in arresting 244 suspected cattle rustlers, of which 230 suspects have been charged to court while the remaining 14 are under investigation.
“In the course of this campaign, 38 suspected bandits were neutralised in various gun battles while five police officers paid the supreme price,” Isa said.
He added that 246 suspects were arrested for rape and unnatural offence, while 63 victims were rescued in four reported cases of human trafficking and transferred to the NAPTIP office in Kano State.
