The anti-kidnapping Special forces of the Nigerian Police have arrested 40 persons for their alleged involvement in the abduction of motorists and travellers along the Abuja-Kaduna highway.
The police attribute the arrest of the suspects to the launch of ‘Operation Absolute Sanity’ by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris.
The arrest comes barely three days after 32 persons were apprehended for kidnapping in the same area.
Several AK-47 rifles, charms, ammunitions as well as stolen items were recovered from the suspects who the police say belong to different kidnap gangs.
Parading the suspects before journalists at Rijjanna village in Kaduna State on Thursday, the Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood said the suspects were arrested during a gun battle with policemen While some of the kidnapped victims were rescued from their hideouts inside the bush.
He explained that the successes recorded by the team had reduced kidnapping and other criminal activities on the highway, adding that the police will not relent in their assignment until all the bandits are flushed out from their hideout and the highway is safe again.
Moshood said the suspects have made confessional statements, revealing the various roles they played in committing the crime.
Members of the community were full of praise for the police for the operation. They, however, urged the police to sustain the tempo.
