Police have arrested some of the suspects behind the killing of seven police personnel on duty at Galadimawa, Abuja on July 2.
The Force Public Relations Officer (PRO), Moshood Jimoh, at a briefing in Suleja Friday where 37 bandits, cattle rustlers and criminals operating in Kaduna, Minna, Tegina, Birnin-Gwari – Funtua axis of Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara States were paraded.
Jimoh said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, on July 3, set-up a team of Specialised Crack Investigation Detectives, Police Scene of Crime Experts and Technical Intelligence Unit of the Force to investigate the attack.
He said the panel was to ensure that those responsible were arrested and prosecuted.
“Arrests of some suspects in connection to the crime have been made and investigation is in progress in the case,” he said.
On the arrest of 37 criminals terrorising parts of North West and North Central, Jimoh said this is as a result of the implementation and enforcement of strategies to ensure safety and adequate protection of travellers and people living in those communities.
As a result, he said the crime prevention and detection operations of the Force had been strengthened by the IG with additional police personnel and needed logistics by the IG to proactively tackle the menace of kidnapping, armed robbery, trans-border car theft and other violent crimes throughout the country.
He said the Commander of the IGP Special Tactical Squad (STS) and his personnel under the Operation Absolute Sanity stormed and raided some identified kidnappers’ den, camps, blackspot and criminal hideouts in the forests located in Kaduna, Minna, Tegina, Birnin gwari – Funtua within Kaduna, Niger Zamfara States and successfully smashed six notorious gangs.
He said the operations led to the arrest of the 37 suspects in the act of kidnapping and collection of ransom, adding that some of their victims’ names withheld were rescued from their captivity unhurt and were reunited with their families.
The Force PRO said some of the suspects were also arrested for armed robberies, multiple car snatching and taking them to Niger Republic and other neighbouring countries. He said six of the suspects were killed during exchange of fire between the police team and the suspected kidnappers/bandits.
Speaking further, Jimoh said that all the suspects arrested confessed to the crime and admitted to the various roles they played in the commission of thesel offences.
“They will be arraigned in court on completion of investigation. However, investigation is being intensified to arrest other suspects at large,” he said.
