Three suspected bandits have been taken into custody and one has been neutralized by Kaduna State Police Command operations.
The Command’s Spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Kaduna on Tuesday, adding that the command also apprehended another three suspected armed robbers.
According to him, on October 8, at about 2:45 hours, a surveillance team from the Kasuwan Mata Police Division, acting on credible information, conducted a successful operation in a brothel located on Nupe Street, in Kasuwan Mata area of Zaria.
He said during the operation, a 35-year-old Adamu Yahaya was apprehended.
“A thorough search of his person led to the discovery of a locally fabricated pistol, a live cartridge, and a pair of handcuffs in his possession,” he said.
Hassan added that preliminary investigations had commenced and that the suspect remained in police custody, where he was being interrogated.
The PPRO also revealed that on the same October 8, at about 10:30 hours, a patrol team from Barnawa Division, while conducting a stop-and-search operation, intercepted two suspects.
“These two suspects are identified as: Andrew Emmanuel, male, resident of Gbagyi Villa, Kaduna, and Mendwas Peter Bulus, male, resident of Television Village, Kaduna.
“During the search, the following items were recovered for them: one service pistol, two Infinix phones, and some quantity of dry leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
“The suspects confessed to being armed robbers operating within Kaduna,” he said.
The police image maker said further investigations were underway to uncover the full extent of their activities and to identify other accomplices.
According to him, on December 9, acting on credible intelligence, the police surveillance team attached to Dan-Magaji Division, observed three individuals behaving suspiciously along the Kano-Kaduna expressway.
“Upon interrogation, the suspects provided unsatisfactory responses, prompting a thorough search. During the search, officers discovered 216 rounds of 9mm live ammunition and one round of 7.62x39mm live ammunition in their possession,“ he said.
He identified the suspects as Buhari Suleiman of Labar Road, Jaji, Kaduna, Jamil Yakubu, of Dungun Sambo, Dandume, Katsina State and Aliyu Abdullahi, of Tushen Jaji, Kaduna.
He said preliminary investigation revealed that Jamil Yakubu had previously purchased 50 rounds of 9mm ammunition a week before.
The spokesperson said on December 10, at about 5:00 hours, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Damakasuwa received credible intelligence regarding an attack by suspected bandits on residents in the Tudu Gishere area.
According to him, upon arrival at the scene, they engaged the bandits in a fierce gunfight, adding that in the process, one unidentified bandit was neutralised, while the remaining suspects fled into the surrounding bushes with gunshot wounds.
Hassan said the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna, Ibrahim Abdullahi, commended the officers for their successful operations.
“The CP urges the public to continue providing the police with credible information to help the continuous fight against crime across the state,” he noted.
Written By Matthew Atungwu