From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Police Force Headquarters in Abuja, said its personnel deployed in various security operations across the country, arrested a total of 176 Rape/Defilement suspects and 296 kidnapper’s/kidnapping suspects in the last six weeks.
Force public relations officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who made this known, said the Police also rescued 97 kidnapped victims, arrested 307 armed robbery suspects, 301 homicide suspects, 204 suspected cultists just and recovered 284 firearms, 6702 ammunition of various calibres and107 vehicles.
Adejobi, also announced” the establishment of the Anti-Money Laundering unit at the Force Headquarters headed by CP Hycenth Edozie Azuka, to leverage the already existing working relationship between the Police and other anti-graft agencies, also in line with Interpol mandate to curb terrorism financing and international crimes amongst its member states”.
Adejobi, while parading some of the suspects arrested before newsmen, said “A total number of 35 suspects were apprehended for various offences and we recovered 1 AK-49 rifle with magazine, Sledge Hammer, Car Jack, 2 Chisel, Small Hammer, and one Hiace Bus.
“Similar operations to mop up illegal arms and ammunition in circulation in the country, led to the recovery of 4 AK- 47 rifles, 5 magazines and 107 rounds of live ammunition of various caliber during their operations.
Adejobi said operatives of the IRT bursted a 15 man robbery syndicate and arrested the following suspects, Suleiman Mohammed, Jerry Irimiya, Abubakar Salisu, Adam Mohammed, Zaidu Inusa, Abdulateef Abdulganiyu, Nankap Nimsak, and Zaharadeen Abdulkarim.Others are Nuhu Hassan, Musa Mohammed, Muntari Kabir, Lawal Yusuf Ali Abdulrahman, Zakari Saidu, Mustapha Usman and Nasiru Abba.
The FPRO, who spoke on the case of burglary, stealing of ornaments and collection of ransom which went viral on the social media, said, “Following a trail of clues and intensive investigation, operatives of the FID-IRT arrested the 3 suspects namely Yu-Shehu Umaru 33 yrs, Awwalu Lawal 29 yrs and Abdulsalam Shehu.
“Subsequent interrogation revealed that the first suspect, Yu-Shehu Umaru is a fish trader at the Kado Fish Market who has been a resident of Abuja for 15 years.
“He had gone to Lugbe with one Abba who is currently at large, to rob houses. The duo had infiltrated several houses in the vicinity before making their way into the fourth target’s house after scaling the fence and then using a car jack to expand the bar of the back window.
“On getting in, the duo searched around for items of value they could steal and eventually located a safe in the house. They both removed the safe and went away with it. After making away with this safe, Yu-Shehu called Abdulsalam Shehu, who had earlier introduced him to Awwalu Lawal.
“Yu-Shehu had been stealing for a while and with the aid of Abdulsalam, he had met Awwalu who would receive these stolen valuables and cash (sometimes foreign currency) and sell it on behalf of Yu-Shehu.
He said, “Working on credible intelligence, operatives of the FID-IRT made the arrest of 15 suspects who all constituted a notorious syndicate of robbers, specialized in the theft and robbery of motorcycles and tricycles.
“The First four (4) members of the syndicate, Suleiman Mohammed, Abubakar Salisu, Jerry Irimiya and Adam Mohammed are residents of Jos North LGA, Plateau State.
“These suspects are particularly involved in moving around at late night and picking up any tricycle they see parked without supervision.
“They also move around, stopping motorcyclists they see on the road, parading themselves as police officers with fake ID cards and accusing the motorists of late-night movements, proceeding to confiscate their bikes and telling them to go to any division nearest to them to retrieve the bikes.
He said So far, they have stolen several motorcycles which they have given to the receiving group in their syndicate.
“The next group in the syndicate is that of Zaidu Inusa, Zaharadeen Abdulkarim and Nankap Nimsak. This group also specializes in the stealing of Tricycles that are parked in any place free of supervision and has successfully stolen several Tricycles and motorcycles.
“The last group in the syndicate involved in the stealing of these Keke and motorcycles is the group of Abdulateef Abdulganiyu and Nuhu Hassan. Abdulateef had been single-handedly stealing bikes before meeting Nuhu Hassan who then joined him in carrying out this crime.
“Nuhu Hassan on the other hand, confessed to having been caught stealing before, which had led to him being beaten severely resulting in partial body paralysis. But that did not stop him from committing the same crime a while later.
“The rest of this syndicate are the receivers of these stolen Bikes and Keke, who specialize in taking these stolen items and selling them off to buyers. Upon arrest, the IRT operatives recovered 8 motorcycles and 11 Tricycles”.
This time, Yu-Shehu used a sledgehammer and chisel to open the safe forcefully and found money, documents and gold in the safe. Upon this discovery, he had contacted his cohorts to dispose of the valuables.
“Yu-Shehu confessed to having stolen monies and items valued over N60m and the proceeds of his last robbery before apprehension was a sum of N14m.
On the case if unlawful possession of firearm, he said, “This is a case referred from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The suspect, Dung Tari ‘m’ 53 years of age is a resident of Jos-South LGA and businessman, who rears pigs and other animals.
“His arrest led to the recovery of an AK-49 rifle which he claimed to have purchased around 2021 at a sum of One Million Naira.
He said “The Police Operatives are still working on some information to unravel the facts of the case and apprehend his gang members, and everyone who operated with him.”