Fifty suspects have been arrested by the Nigeria Police over connection with kidnapping, armed robbery, possession of firearm and trafficking hard drugs.

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested 50 criminal suspects who are members of various notorious criminal gangs and networks across the country.

The arrests were carried out by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team and the Special Tactical Squad of the Force attached to the Operation Puff Adder II, a series of tweets from the police said.

They were outcomes of successful follow-up on cases bordering on kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, unlawful possession of firearms, among others.

During operations that led to the arrests, 10 prohibited firearms, 2,496 AK-47 live ammunition, 10 live cartridges, and cartons of tramadol drugs worth over N3 million naira were recovered.

Other items recovered by the police included bags of weed suspected to be Indian hemp, two laptop computers, and eight mobile phones.

In his reaction, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, commended the public for their continuous support to the police and the security community.

He gave an assurance that the police would be relentless in taking the battle to criminal elements hell-bent on threatening the nation’s internal security and bringing such persons to justice.

Giving a breakdown of some of the cases, Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba said at a media briefing in Abuja that four of suspects were arrested in connection with armed robbery, adding that two others were arrested over gunrunning.

According to him, their arrest followed close monitoring of their activities by intelligence operatives of the police.

The FPRO said the suspects were transporting AK47 live ammunition from Jos to the leader of a robbery gang in Kaduna when they were intercepted and arrested.

Mba said the police were also on the trail of the gang leader who escaped arrest with the support of some of his family members.

“This explains why two of the suspects, who are members of the gang and also family members of the gang leader, were arrested.

“When their family house was searched, a total of 231 rounds of live AK47 ammunition were recovered from their home.

“Another of their brother escaped from the house with an AK49 rifle, which implies that criminality is their family enterprise,” he said.

The police spokesman said two other suspects were also arrested in connection with arms trafficking.

Mba said police investigation had revealed that the suspects had sold four AK47 rifles and six locally made pistols.

He said efforts were being made by the police to track the manufacturers of the pistols to cut off arms supplies to kidnappers and bandits in the country.

Mba said a nine-man gang comprising suspected arms dealers and criminals were also arrested by police operatives.

According to him, one of the suspects had been to jail severally and was recently granted amnesty by a governor in December 2020.

He said the ex convict had bought a pistol from the supplier in preparation to return to armed robbery when he was arrested.

Mba said another gang member arrested was a convict who escaped from the Oko prison outbreak in Benin during the #EndSars protest in 2020.

He said a total of four pistols were recovered from the gang members adding that investigation was ongoing to get other members of the gang arrested.

The FPRO said the police had also arrested three suspects over a foiled kidnap plot in Zaria, Kaduna State.

He said the suspects had planned to abduct the manager of a petrol filling station, AYM Shafa Petroleum in Zaria.

Mba said the suspects were arrested following intelligence report and subsequent monitoring by police operatives.

OPERATION PUFF ADDER II – POLICE OPERATIVES BUST VIOLENT CRIMINAL NETWORKS, ARMS AND DRUGS SUPPLY CHAIN
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Arrest 50 Hardened Criminals, Recover 10 Firearms, 2,496 AK47 Ammunition, Others.

The operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have arrested fifty (50) criminal suspects who are members of various notorious criminal gangs and networks across the country.
The arrests, which were carried out by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team and the Special Tactical Squad of the Force attached to the Operation Puff Adder II, are outcomes of successful follow-up on cases bordering on kidnapping, armed robbery, banditry, unlawful possession of firearms, amongst others.

A total of ten (10) sophisticated prohibited firearms, two thousand, four hundred and ninety-six (2,496) AK47 live ammunition, ten (10) live cartridges, Cartons of Tramadol Drugs worth over three (3) million naira, bags of weed suspected to be Indian hemp, two (2) laptop computers, eight (8) mobile phones, were recovered from the suspects in the operations.

Some of the notable cases and operations that led to the arrests and recoveries include the following;

CASE 1: INTERCEPTION AND ARREST OF FOUR (4) MEMBERS OF CRIMINAL SYNDICATE WHO ARE MAJOR AMMUNITION SUPPLIERS TO BANDITS IN KADUNA STATE

Operatives of the Special Tactical Squad attached to the Operation Puff Adder II while on confidence building patrol along Kachia – Kaduna Highway on 28th February, 2021, intercepted one Danjuma Dachung, a 30yrs native of Ryom, Plateau State and one other, Markus Danladi, in Kachia, Kaduna State conveying one thousand, five hundred and sixty-five (1,565) AK47 ammunition in a Volkswagen, Golf 3 Car. Investigations by the Police team revealed that the suspects are members of a major ammunition supply syndicate that supplies ammunition from Jos to bandits in their various camps/hideouts in forests in Kaduna State. Further investigations led to the arrest of one Suleiman Tukur, 55yrs old and his son, Shuaibu Suleiman, 18yrs on 9th March, 2021 who are relatives of a notorious gang leader who was to receive the ammunition conveyed by Danjuma Dachung and Markus Danladi. Two Hundred and Thirty-One (231) AK47 live ammunition were recovered by the Police team at their residence in Karabi, Kaduna State.

CASE 2: ARREST OF TWO (2) SUSPECTS FOR ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF PROHIBITED FIREARMS, ARMED ROBBERY AND SALE OF FIREARMS TO NOTORIOUS CRIMINALS IN THE FCT AND ENVIRONS

The Police team also arrested two suspects, Daniel Baba, 28yrs and one Andrew Gbagi, 30yrs both from Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory. The suspects were arrested at the point of brokering a gun sales deal in the Kwali area of the FCT. Investigations revealed that the suspects specialize in selling all calibre of firearms to armed robbers and kidnappers in the FCT and its environs. They also carryout armed robbery operations in Paiko, Dobbi, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Abaji communities in the FCT. Investigation is being intensified to locate their armoury, sponsors and other members of the gang now at large.

CASE 3: ARREST OF NOTORIOUS KIDNAPPERS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECENT KIDNAPPING OF PHARM. ALHAJI IBRAHIMAA IN JOS AND SEVERAL OTHER ARMED ROBBERIES AND KIDNAPPINGS ACROSS PLATEAU, BAUCHI AND NASARAWA STATES

Sequel to the kidnapping of Alhaji Ibrahimaa, a Pharmacist residing in Barikin Ladi, Plateau State and his subsequent release after paying a ransom, operatives of the FIB-IRT succeeded in arresting four (4) suspects including the mastermind of the kidnap operation. The suspects arrested are Abbas Adamu, 23yrs of Barikin Ladi, Plateau State, Ahmad Mohammed A.K.A Soja, 22yrs native of Magama Gumau, Ibrahim Jilde, 36yrs native of Toro LGA Bauchi and Saleh Idris, 20yrs, native of Magama Gumau in Bauchi. Investigations by the Police team revealed that the suspects were responsible for the kidnap of one DSS operative in Jos and a Professor in Mista Ali Village and several other armed robberies and kidnapping in Plateau, Bauchi and Nasarawa States.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni appreciates the members of the public for the continuous support to the Police and the security community in ensuring safety and security in our various communities. He assures that the Force would be relentless in taking the battle to the doorstep of criminal elements hell bent at threatening the internal security order of the country and bringing such suspects to justice.

CP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS
ABUJA