The Kaduna State Police Command said it had arrested 36 suspected criminals and recovered 486 livestock from cattle rustlers in the state in the last few weeks.
The State Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdurrahaman, disclosed this on Friday while speaking with Journalists in Kaduna.
According to him, the arrests and recoveries were made possible by the recently launched ‘Operation Puff Adder’ by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu as well as the confidence building campaign carried out by the Command under his supervision particularly along Kaduna – Abuja Expressway.
“It has become expedient that I keep you abreast of the successes recorded in the fight against crime and criminality in Kaduna Command during the few weeks under review.
“Recently, we have embarked on intensive manhunt of bandits and other criminals that attack people while pursuing their normal businesses within the Command with a view to arresting and bringing all the culprits to book,” he said.
Abdurrahaman said the command within the period under review, recovered 486 livestock made up of 393 cows and 93 sheep from rustlers.
Giving the breakdown, he said, “while nine of the suspects were arrested for alleged criminal conspiracy and armed robbery; 18 suspects were caught for criminal conspiracy, kidnapping and armed robbery while six of the suspects were arrested for criminal conspiracy, armed robbery and cattle rustling.”
The CP disclosed also that most of the suspects were aged 20 to 30.
READ ALSO: Buhari Donates $500,000 to Guinea Bissau’s for Elections
He said among the suspect, was one Mohammed Jamilu, 30, who specialized in “defaming high profile personalities by putting his victims in fear of death or grievous hurt through false information that is capable of inciting disturbance to extort money from his victims.
“The suspect went round meeting clergymen and telling them that the executive Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai had contracted him to eliminate some notable clergymen in Kaduna State.
“The Police acted on intelligence and arrested the suspect and he has confessed to the allegation.”
He said items recovered from the suspects by the operatives from the command’s intelligence unit included three AK47 rifle with 27 round of live Ammunition, one locally made pistol and one Dane Gun.
“Also recovered from him included a pair of army camouflage uniform, a navy blue-coloured Honda Civic vehicle with Reg. No. BL688GWA, Chassis No. JHMEJ933005017783 and two unregistered red coloured Bajaj motorcycles.
“Others are; a Samsung S8 plus, a techno handset, one axe, four Cutlasses, assorted Charms, three torch lights, one pincher and a Dog .”
The CP said the command would arraign the suspects in court once investigations were concluded.
On Kasuwan Magani crisis in Kajuru Local of Area of the state, Abdurrahaman said both human and vehicular movements had been restricted with the imposition of 24-hour curfew on Friday by the state government adding that the command had deployed enough security operatives to the affected area to forestall further violence.