The Zamfara State Police Command has arrested 12 suspects over offences related to banditry, arms deal, and political thuggery.
Four locally fabricated guns, some parts of an AK-47 rifle, 100 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition, seven cartridges, a cutlass, and a bunch of charms were also recovered from them.
Parading the suspects at the police headquarters on Tuesday in Gusau, the spokesperson of the command, Mohammed Shehu, said five of the suspects were political thugs arrested in connection with a sporadic shooting that resulted in one death and injuries to several others in the state capital last Saturday
The suspects according to Shehu are Lawali Yakubu, Aminu Abubakar, Shua’ibu Mohammed, Abdulmummuni Bawa, and Sirajo Yahaya.
Shehu said, “On 15th October 2022 at about 18:15hrs, Zamfara State Police Command received a distress call that armed political thugs carrying sophisticated weapons including locally made guns and cutlasses were shooting sporadically at innocent people in Gusau.
“As a result of this, one person was killed and injured about eleven others are now receiving treatment at Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau.
“The Command in an effort to curtail the situation and arrest the perpetrators reinforced its tactical operatives, where on sighting the police operatives, the hoodlums started shooting thereby putting the lives of the police operatives and peace-loving citizens into danger.
“However, the Police acted professionally and used minimum force which led to the arrest of five (5) suspects in possession of locally fabricated guns, while others fled.”
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The spokesman added that “Investigation is in progress and suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation”.
Shehu also said three bandits’ informants who engaged in gunrunning business between Plateau State and Zamfara State were arrested by the police.
The suspects according to Shehu are Abubakar Buda, Bitrus Bulus, and Weng Adamu, while part of AK-47 rifles and 100 rounds of AK-47 live ammunition were recovered from them.
According to Shehu, on 11th October 2022, police tactical operatives deployed along Tsafe – Funtua Road acted on intelligence information that led to the interception of a Golf vehicle, dark ash in colour, which was driven by one Abubakar Buda, a 32 years old native of Zuru LGA of Kebbi State.
The suspect, according to Shehu, was arrested along Tsafe – Funtua Road, while on transit back from Jos in Plateau State to Kucheri in Tsafe where he was to deliver the arms and ammunition to a notorious bandit leader called Chumo.
“Search was conducted on the spot, and the above exhibits were recovered in his possession,” he said.
Shehu explained that “In the course of interrogation, he mentioned some of his collaborators Bitrus Bulus Aka Peter and Weng Adamu both ‘M’ of Jos South LGA of Plateau state as his partner in crime.
“Same suspect further confessed to the police that he has been in arms supply business where he severally collected arms and ammunition from one James in Jos now at large and deliver them to the above-named bandit leader who has been terrorising Tsafe – Funtua Road as well as attacked villages and communities in Tsafe and Mada in Gusau LGAs respectively.
“The two other suspects were also arrested and they have confessed to being bandits collaborators. Investigation is in progress”.
In a related development, four suspected bandits who have been terrorising the Tsafe-Funtua Road have been arrested.
They are Ibrahim Abubakar, Sani Yahaya, Sani Mohammed and Ahmed Sani.
Exhibits recovered from them included two motorcycles, four handsets, one walkie-talkie, and N140,000 cash
According to Shehu, the culprits were arrested on 15th October 2022 at about 4 pm.
He said, “The police tactical operatives while on patrol along Tsafe – Funtua Road acted on intelligence information and intercepted two motorcycles carrying two persons each.
“The suspects were arrested with a walkie-talkie which they used to communicate among themselves during operations.
“Intelligence information about them revealed that they are among the hoodlums that terrorized commuters along Tsafe – Funtua Road by attacking, killing, and kidnapping innocent people.
“They also belong to a notorious syndicate that made life unbearable in several villages in Tsafe and its environs. The discreet investigation is in progress.”
