Eight suspects have allegedly been detained by the Zamfara police command for crimes related to banditry, criminal conspiracy, robbery, and fraud.
The command also succeeded in recovering 15 local firearms, 146 rounds of Ak47 ammunition, dried leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp, and N1 million cash as exibits, according to a statement made in Gusau on Thursday by SP Muhammad Shehu, the police spokesperson.
Shehu added that in response to an intelligence tip, police tactical operatives on a confidence-building patrol along Munhaye Forest in the state’s Tsafe Local Government Area conducted a thorough patrol/stop and search with the goal of apprehending some suspected gun runners.
“The gun runners on their way to the forest to supply arms and ammunition to the bandits, after noticing police presence, abandoned the arms and ammunition and fled into the forest.
“On 24th Jan. 2023, police detectives acted based on complaint by one Abubakar Lawali of Talata Mafara LGA that some suspects conspired and defrauded him N1 million by withdrawing same from his account through a POS operator via his ATM Card.
“According to the complainant, the suspects succeeded in their action when they offered to help him to make withdrawal when he could not make the transactions due to network problem,” Shehu said.
“They collected his ATM card and decietfully withdrew the money from POS operator.
“In the course of interrogation, all the arrested suspects confessed to the crime and further stated how they carried out similar fraud at different banks in Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and Zamfara states respectively.
“N1 million cash belonging to the complainant and a vehicle were recovered from them as exhibits,” he added.
The Police spokesperson further said that “On 24th Jan., police detectives acted on intelligence report and arrested some suspects who were residing in Bela village under Bungudu LGA.
“The suspects were part of criminal syndicate that gave information to bandits and also supplied Indian Hemp and other dangerous drugs.
“Their actions have continued to aggravate attacks, kidnapping and killing of innocent people of Bungudu, Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji LGAs”, he explained.
“Police operatives, based on intelligence report on Jan. 23, arrested suspected members of criminal syndicate that have been operating in Kaduna, Zamfara and other neighbouring states.
“In the course of police investigation, the suspects confessed that, on several occasions, they participated in Kidnapping and cattle rustling.
“Also police detectives on Jan. 22 acted on a complaint from one Kasimu Abdullahi from Anka LGA, arrested some suspects for criminal conspiracy and attempted culpable homicide against the compainant.
“While investigation was ongoing, the suspect was equally identified by the family members of late Abdullahi Nakwada Gusau for allegedly killing their father sometime in 2022.
“The investigation revealed that the suspect was among the members of the outlawed group known as “Yansakai” who have been taking laws into their hands.” (NAN)
