The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested several suspects over alleged banditry, gunrunning and vehicle theft, recovering firearms, two stolen vehicles and suspected counterfeit US dollar notes in separate operations across the state.
The command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.
Hassan said the operations were carried out following intelligence received by the command, including an encounter with suspected bandits in the Kidandan area of Giwa Local Government Area.
According to him, police personnel, supported by members of the Kaduna Vigilance Service, confronted the suspected bandits after receiving information that they were disturbing farmers in the area.
He said the suspects opened fire on the security team but fled into the bush after the operatives responded, abandoning a pump-action rifle, two cartridges and a motorcycle.
In another operation around the Maraban Jos axis, police operatives reportedly mounted roadblocks following intelligence on the movement of suspected gunrunners.
The command said the suspects fled into the bush after abandoning nine locally fabricated firearms, while efforts were ongoing to arrest them.
Meanwhile, three suspects identified as Ashiru Ibrahim, Mohammed Ibrahim and Umar Hassan were arrested at Panteka, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna, while allegedly attempting to sell a stolen black GMK Jeep.
The police said the vehicle, valued at about N70 million, was being offered for N4 million after it had allegedly been prepared for dismantling and sale as spare parts.
Hassan said preliminary investigations revealed that Ashiru allegedly stole the vehicle from Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he worked as a driver for a Chinese company.
The command also recovered a white Toyota Hilux allegedly stolen from Agadez, Niger Republic, and arrested one Abubakar Abdullahi, who was reportedly found in possession of the vehicle.
According to the police, verification of the vehicle’s chassis number confirmed that it corresponded with that of the vehicle reported stolen in Niger Republic.
In a separate operation, police arrested Kabir Yusuf of Barnawa, Kaduna, over alleged possession of counterfeit currency.
A search reportedly led to the recovery of 332 suspected counterfeit $100 notes, valued at $33,200, as well as six counterfeit N1,000 notes.
The police said Yusuf allegedly told investigators that he obtained the counterfeit currencies from one Sahibu Ruhan of Kano State, who is currently at large.
The command said efforts were ongoing to arrest Ruhan and uncover other members of the alleged counterfeit currency network.
