by Passman Akpos
Five notorious bandits leaders accused of high profile crimes have been arrested from various locations in Zamfara State by the police after exchange of gun fire.
The Police also recovered 4 AK-47 rifles and 960 rounds of live ammunition.
Among those picked include, the alleged abductors of the younger brother of Dr. Dauda Lawal, Engineer Yahaya Maradun’s daughter and Bala Afuro.
The 5 suspected bandits confessed to having been engaged in banditry, kidnapping, cattle rustling, culpable homicide and other vicious crimes, in Zamfara and neighbouring states.
The group that kidnapped the younger brother of Dr. Dauda Lawal confessed that they collected N20 million ransom, while the abductors of Engineer Yahaya Maradun’s daughter said they collected N10 million.
One of them said they each get between N200,000 to N600,000 from ransom depending on the number that engaged in the operation.
Police Public Relations Officer in Zamfara State, SP Mohammed Shehu, said the arrest of the suspected notorious bandits leaders was achieved by the Operations Unit from the Force Intelligence Bureau, deployed to Zamfara State, in collaboration with operatives in the state.
He said the confessional statements made by the suspects will lead the operatives to the arrest of their partners in crime.
The Zamfara State Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs, Abubakar Dauran, commended the police and other security agencies for the strides made in securing the state.
Among the suspects was a Nigerien, who specialises in supplying assorted sophisticated guns and ammunitions to the bandits.
One of the suspected bandits leaders, demonstrated how they usually hide a gun on a motorcycle seat to avoid being detected by security agents.
