By Kassim Omomia
Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested a total of 84 notorious criminal suspects within the past one month and subsequently foiled plot to abduct a Catholic Bishop in Zaria.

Their arrest followed the ongoing implementation of a robust security action plan to protect citizens and critical national infrastructure across the country,

All the suspects will be charged to court on completion of investigations.

A total of forty-five sophisticated firearms and ammunition including 1-GPMG, 1-LAR rifle, 17-AK47 rifles, 2-Pump Action rifles, 20- locally fabricated firearms, 3-single barrel guns, 9899- live ammunition of different calibres, 80-fake vehicle number plates, 1- Toyota Camry with Reg. No. AA 792 HJA and 1-Toyota Corolla LE with Reg. No. QAP 622 AA, were recovered from the suspects in the operations.

The suspects were arrested for their involvement in series of violent crimes including terrorism, banditry, kidnap for ransom, possession and proliferation of illegal weapons, armed robbery, unlawful production of vehicle number plates etc.

While many of the suspects were arrested in follow-up on cases of violent crimes under investigations, many others were arrested after the police subdued them in a gun duel at their doorsteps.

Four members of a notorious criminal gang responsible for carrying out some of the high-profile kidnap for ransom operations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kaduna, Niger, Katsina, Bauchi, and Plateau States are among those under police net.

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They are, Umar Abdullahi ‘m’ 40yrs of kali Kura village, Giwa LGA, Kaduna State, Yusuf Tanimu ‘m’ 23yrs of Kurena, Zaria, Kaduna State, Mamuda Suleiman ‘m’ 40yrs of Barkin ladi, Plateau State and Abubakar Yaro ‘m’ 38yrs from Wase village, Plateau State.

Police investigations linked the gang to series of kidnap for ransom crimes including the kidnapping of some senior staff of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, family members of notable political appointees and business entrepreneurs in Kaduna State and other contiguous State.

However, further probe showed that the suspects had concluded plans to kidnap a Catholic Bishop in Zaria when they were apprehended.

In addition, further checks revealed that the gang also engaged in the supply of arms and ammunition to Bandits at Birnin Gwarri, Kaduna State, Niger, Katsina and Zamfara States, from where one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), two AK47 rifles, six thousand, five hundred and nine (6,509) live ammunition were recovered from the syndicate during the operation.

Similarly, the Police team arrested a 7-man criminal syndicate that specializes in the manufacturing and supplies of locally fabricated AK-47 rifles and ammunition to bandits in forests along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway and funtua – kankara expressway in Katisina State.

The suspects are Dung Michael ‘m’ 26yrs, Dung James ‘m’ 29yrs, Bulus Iliya ‘m’ 25yrs, Markus Danladi ‘m’ 25yrs, Danjuma Dachu ‘m’ 25yrs all from Jos South and Samaila Abdullahi ‘m’ 45yrs from Toro in Bauchi State, Maek Danladi ‘m’ 30yrs from Chukum, Kaduna State.

In a similar vein, one Abubakar Mohammed a.k.a Mallam Buzu from Mali who is a transnational gunrunner was arrested by the Police team in Tsamiya, a border town between Benin Republic and Nigeria.

He was arrested with a GPMG ammunition chain drive with holding capacity of 1,600 rounds of ammunition.

In addition, three (3) suspects responsible for production of fake vehicle number plates including replica of number plates of government, diplomatic and security agencies were arrested.

Investigations revealed that the suspects supply the number plates to criminal elements who use same to beat security checks during their operations. A total of eighty (80) fake number plates were recovered from the gang.

Meanwhile the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has said that the kinetic and non-kinetic approaches targeted at re-ordering security in the country are already yielding positive results.

He reassured the citizens of the renewed commitment of the Force to the fight against crimes and criminality and called for sustained support for the Police and the security community as efforts are intensified to enhance public safety, peace and security.