The Nigeria Police Force says its operatives of the Force Intelligence Bureau Intelligence Response Team have successfully brought to a close, a case of murder which seemed unsolved, with the arrest of members of a syndicate actively involved in kidnapping and robbery operations within Bauchi state and its environs.
Csp Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer, in a statement on Wednesday, said the arrest followed a charge on the tactical and operational squads by the Inspector-General of Police on the need to ensure cases are investigated to a reasonable conclusion.
According to him, the suspects, Hashimu Galadima (aka Kan-Wuka) aged 48, Abdulwahab Alhassan (aka Emeka) aged 31, Abdulwahab Ahmed (aka Dan-Mama) aged 35, and Alh. Modu Saleh, all of Dass Local Government Area of Bauchi State, were arrested following credible intelligence.
He said the suspects, who were arrested following credible intelligence, confessed to the murder of one Hon. Musa Mante, a then serving member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly from Dass LGA in August 2020, and the kidnap of his two wives and 1-year old daughter.
“They confessed to the murder of one Hon. Musa Mante, a then serving member of the Bauchi State House of Assembly from Dass LGA in August 2020, and the kidnap of his two wives and 1-year old daughter.
“They similarly confessed to the murder of one Mallam Dahiru Suleiman, and a retired Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Garkuwa, who they claimed was a bane to their free operation in the area,” he said.
Reeling out recent achievements of the Force, Adejobi said 11 suspects who confessed to being members of an unlawful society, specifically the Black Axe Confraternity (aka Aiye) were arrested in Ekpoma, Edo State, following reports on their nefarious activities within the area.
The suspects he revealed include 22 year old Okosun Pascal, 24-year old Michael Ehineboh, 22 year-old Aneto Israel, 23 year old Destiny Uhomogiwan, 20 year old Bello Sunday, 27 year old Eramoh Akhere, 22 year old Osagie Adamson, 24 year old Okoruwa Christian and Edoghogho Wellington (all 9 from Esan LGA of Edo State).
Others were 20-year old Momoh Kingsley from Estako West LGA of Edo State, and 24 year old Chukwu Chukwuemeka from Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State, are all university undergraduates.
He said exhibits recovered from the suspects were 2 AK 47 Rifles, 3 pump action guns, 1 locally made pistol, 2 AK47 Magazines, 22 live rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, 17 rounds of 5.56mm K2 Ammunition, and 3 live cartridges.
Adejobi disclosed: “Operatives of the FIB-IRT equally apprehended the trio of Murtala Ibrahim aged 37, Suleiman Rabiu aged 28, and Surajo Sani (aka Mandula) aged 39, for kidnapping and providing information to other notorious kidnap gangs on likely victims of their crime.
“The suspects who operate within Yankwani and Kurami Towns in Bakori LGA of Katsina State carried out the kidnap of a man, his wife and two children from whom they obtained a ransom of 30 million Naira.
“An escapee from the Kuje Correctional Centre in June 2022, one Abdulrazak Isah, aged 27, from Ondo State, who was convicted to life imprisonment for the murder in 2013 and had spent 10 years prior to his escape from the detention facility, was arrested at Tafa LGA of Kaduna State for stealing an iPad and a computer monitor from a hotel in Sabon Wuse, Niger State.
“The suspect thereafter sold the monitor for the sum of N5,000 and the iPad for the sum of N10,000, before his arrest.
“The FIB-IRT recovered a total of 27 firearms including 10 AK rifles, 1 G3 rifle, 8 pump action guns, 3 locally made pistols, 3 English double-barrelled guns, 633 rounds of live ammunition of different calibres, 8 expended cartridges, and one cutlass from the suspects in the course of investigations.”
Adejobi gave the assurances of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, to well-meaning members of the society who are stakeholders in security, that the Nigeria Police Force is committed to ensuring that all criminal suspects are dealt the full blow of the law upon arrest.
He said all the suspects will be arraigned in court on completion of investigations.
