Operatives of the Nigeria Police Special Tactical Squad have arrested 34 high-profile criminals including kidnappers, trans-border car thieves, and others.
Among them was a nine-man syndicate of high-profile kidnappers.
The criminal elements were said to specialise in the abduction of travellers on major highways in the North-Western region of the country.
The suspects, according to a statement by Police Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba, are Bashir Sule (25); Abubakar Haruna, (30); and Babangida Bature (25).
Others are Aliyu Idris (24); Adam Jafar (26); Usman Idris (24); Yusuf Idris (45); Sale Musa (25) and Umar Sale (22).
Mba said they were arrested following investigations by the Police team which uncovered plans by the syndicate to carry out a major abduction of travellers along the Kano-Katsina expressway.
Speaking on their modus operandi, it was uncovered that the principal suspect, Bashir Sule, was to take a commuter bus to a motor park and pose as a passenger to convey unsuspecting passengers before they unleash their evil plans
“While driving to the expected destination, Bashir stops at an agreed meeting point where his other gang members swooped in, attacked, robbed, and abducted the passengers. The criminals, thereafter, contacted the families of the victims for ransom before their release,” the Police revealed.
Separation of powers, checks and balances (2) by Mike Ozekhome
Mba also said from intelligence, it was learnt that the principal suspect, Bashir, sometimes join commuter buses as a passenger and in the course of the journey provides information to his other gang members who then lie in wait for the innocent co-travellers, attack them, and in both instances the mastermind, Bashir barely escaped.
In a related development, an 11-man notorious gang have been nabbed
The Police said the gang is notorious for its involvement in series of violent crimes including kidnapping, armed robbery, illegal possession, and illicit sale of prohibited firearms.
The gang which has two female members, Hafsat Adamu (24) and Aisha Ibrahim (30), rely on the women to transport their weapons from one point to another, taking advantage of the innocuous look and sentiments associated with their gender.
Similarly, a trans-national car theft syndicate that specializes in stealing cars from Nigeria and smuggling same to the Niger Republic and other neighbouring countries is the Police net
A total of fifteen (15) cars were recovered from the suspects, in addition to two jamming devices which aid the suspects in moving the stolen vehicles undetected.
Meanwhile reacting to the arrests, the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba, reiterated the commitment of the Force to the protection of lives and property in the country
Baba called on motor park operators to ensure adequate screening of their drivers and vehicle owners before permitting them to operate in their motor parks.
The 34 suspects, including 32 males and two females who were arrested will be charged to court soon.
The Police recovered 11 high-calibre grenades, 11 sophisticated firearms, 15 stolen cars, two-vehicle jammers, 389 AK-47 ammunition, amongst others.
