GREENFIELD STUDENT KIDNAPPERS, RAPE SUSPECTS, AND OTHERS ARRESTED BY POLICE
• Recovers 61 firearms, 376 rounds of ammunition, 22 cartridges, and a cash sum of 2 million Naira
CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer, displaying some of the recovered exhibits during a press briefing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
The Nigeria Police Force’s Intelligence Bureau Special Tactical Squad (FIB-STS) operatives have successfully arrested 31 suspects connected with major violent crimes such as kidnapping, culpable homicide, rape, and unlawful possession of firearms, among others.
CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Spokesperson, stated in a press statement e-signed and released to NAOSNP that, “The Force Intelligence Bureau Special Tactical Squad (FIB-STS) operatives, following directives from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, to clampdown on the perpetrators of crimes and criminality, as well as cut off their supply of arms, have successfully effected the arrest of 31 suspects connected with major violent crimes including Kidnapping, Culpable Homicide, Rape, Unlawful Possession of Firearms etc.”
According to the statement, “the FIB-STS recovered a total of 61 firearms from the suspects during investigations, including 41 AK rifles, 8 Type 06 rifles, 4 Light Assault Rifles (LAR), 4 pump action guns, 2 locally made firearms, 1 G3 rifle, 1 dane gun, 376 rounds of live ammunition of various calibres, and a cash sum of two million Naira.”
“Among the notable cases is a kidnapping case in 2021 in which the duo of Aminu Lawal (aka Kano) and Murtala Dawu (aka Mugala), both working in tandem with the kidnapping kingpin known as Yellow Ashana, confessed to the kidnapping and murder of two police officers and one vigilante.”
They also admitted to kidnapping students from Greenfield University in Kaduna State, as well as the senseless murder of five victims in exchange for a ransom payment and the eventual release of the others. According to intelligence, their area of operations includes Dan Hunu, Kekebi, Dan Busha Rido, Maraban Rido, and Kumi Sata in Kaduna State. FIB-STS operatives apprehended them in March 2022, after being on their trail since their names were mentioned in connection with the kidnapping of Bethel Baptist School students in 2021.
Similarly, a five-man trans-border syndicate operating between Adamawa State in Nigeria and Burha, Fituha, and Kesu in Cameroon was apprehended. The gang, which consists of Abubakar Mohammed, 28 years old; Shehu Mohammed, 38 years old; Abdullahi Ali, 30 years old; Abubakar Ali, 18 years old; and Hussaini Sule, 18 years old, all from Mubi, Adamawa State, targets wealthy individuals who own beautiful houses or cars. They admitted to kidnapping and raping a newlywed woman in Borno state’s Askira Uba Local Government Area, who they released in exchange for a million naira ransom.
On the 11th of May, 2022, they were apprehended by FIB-STS operatives after collecting a ransom of 2 million naira for one Alhaji Moni of Buladega Village.
The FIB-STS also apprehended the duo of Umar Muhammed, 40, of Mitchika in Adamawa State, and Musa Buba, 29, of Hong in Adamawa State, who are well-known for their kidnapping activities. They were apprehended at the market after credible intelligence revealed that they were there to buy food for their kidnapped victims. Even after a ransom was paid, they confessed to many heinous crimes, including the murder and beheading of one Alhaji Mai Gome.
While commending the FIB-STS operatives for their successes, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, assured that all criminal elements would be smoked out of their hiding places and would answer for their crimes in due course.
Following the completion of the investigations, all of the suspects will be arraigned in court.