Officers of the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have arrested some suspected hoodlums in Taraba State.
The officers successfully foiled an attempted murder of a resident in Katibu community of Lau Local Government Area of the state.
The swift response follows an alarm raised by the motorcyclist when he was attacked by the hoodlums in a bid to kill him and collect his motorbike.
This was disclosed by the Commandant of the NSCDC Taraba state Muhammed Waksha while parading the suspects in Jalingo, the state capital.
He explained that the hoodlums attacked one Sunday Sanya In Katibu area of Lau local government area of Taraba, with a machete, horn and snatched his motorcycle away, luckily he didn’t die.
”He raised alarm and they were arrested by security operatives in that area”
Also paraded is a buyer who is suspected to be in the business for years now and encouraging the hoodlums to always perpetrate the act.
He was paraded alongside his friend who attempted to prevent security operatives from arresting the buyer by injuring a military officer with a cutlass.
” When we arrested the hoodlums and interrogated them, in the process they were able to disclose the other two who buys motorbikes when stolen and indirectly encourages them to steal and he will, in turn, buy from them”
” The security operatives went to arrest the buyer, then his accomplice tried to prevent the officers from exercising their lawful duties and even attacked one of the military personnel with a cutlass, that was why he was also arrested ”
” Luckily for us, the victim is not dead, he sustained various degree of injuries and is currently under our care medically ”
The Katibu community in Lau LGA of Taraba have been experiencing such attacks unreported as most of the victims prefer to settle out of court.
”They have been terrorizing that area for so long, we have to mount surveillance in a bid to get to the root of the matter. ”
Waksha disclosed that after due investigation, the suspects will be charged to court for prosecution.
He insists that continued surveillance and pin down of hoodlums will be put in place for more successes to be recorded.
” We are not relenting, we have men on joint operation stationed at Macco, Jenibanbur, chanchanji, Andemin, Shomo, Kona and maigoge communities all round Taraba with patrol vehicles ”
Items recovered from the suspects include two cutlasses, a horn, a magical hat, multiple charms, five mobile phones among several others.
Narrating his ordeal, the motorcyclist and resident of Katibu community, Sunday Sanya describes his being alive as the handwork of God.
” These two gentlemen asked me to help lift them from Donada to Mararaba Apawa, we bargained from 1500 to 1200 where we reached an agreement and asked them to board ”
” When we got close to a riverside one of them said his shoe has fallen and needs to get it, so I stopped, he picked it up and boarded again, suddenly I was attacked with a horn from behind ”
” The pain became severe to the point that I had to fall off the bike and one of them pursued me with a cutlass to kill me, but I narrowly escaped ”
” When I got to a point, I stopped only to discover that my motorbike is taken away and made efforts to flag down some passersby, they stopped I complained to them and they assisted in contacting the next village where they were arrested by security operatives ”
The suspects all admitted to having committed the crimes they are accused of committing and pleaded that the NSCDC tamper justice with mercy.
They are to face a court of competent jurisdiction for further prosecution.
