The Nigeria Police Force has arrested two suspected bandits and kidnapping kingpins linked to violent crimes across Katsina, Zamfara, Niger and Kwara states.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, the suspects were apprehended on December 19 during a covert operation along the Komen–Masallaci axis in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The operation was carried out by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), working in collaboration with the Kwara State Police Command.
The suspects were identified as Abubakar Usman and Shehu Mohammadu. Police authorities disclosed that Usman was recently spotted in a viral social media video where he was seen flaunting firearms and large sums of cash, believed to be proceeds from ransom payments.
Items recovered during the operation include a brand new red Honda Ace 125 motorcycle valued at ₦1,850,000, which investigations revealed was purchased with ransom proceeds; ₦500,000 in cash, suspected to be unspent ransom money; and one AK-47 rifle with a magazine containing 20 rounds of live ammunition.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the suspects are members of a notorious banditry and kidnapping syndicate responsible for terrorising several communities across Zamfara, Katsina, Niger and Kwara states.
Police further revealed that the gang is also involved in supplying arms and ammunition to other criminal elements within the region.
Both suspects are currently in custody and are cooperating with investigators, as efforts intensify to track down other members of the syndicate and recover additional weapons.
The Nigeria Police Force reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling criminal networks and urged members of the public to continue providing timely information to security agencies.
— Hobnob News
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